Sex Trafficking of the Filipino Youth To find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth. --Pearl S. Buck.

This quotation simply means that it is important for a worker to have a job that he/she loves, for the reason that a persons workplace and job affects how a person performs. It is like reaching the Nirvana of the corporate world. It is everyones dream to be able to finish school, have a job, and of course earn money. In our time today, there are large numbers of people who are either underemployed or unemployed due to the economic crisis that countries are facing; and also, the incapability of the person to execute the job that is being offered because of their educational attainment, lack of skills for a worker and such. We all make sure that when we enter the corporate world, we will be able to land a decent job but that is contrary to what this paper is going to tackle. In the course of this paper, the group will discuss about the issue Sex trafficking of the Filipino youth, we will try to tackle about its history, reasons behind the work, sexual exploitation of children, its dangers and the view of the issue internationally and domestically, lastly is suggested plans and actions in resolving the issue. Forced labor has been a part of our history since the colonization of the different powerful colonies. One of the earliest and popular slave trade is dated back in 1788; Africans were sold as slaves for the Americans by the British colonizers to supply the labor needs of their growing economy. According to eyewitnesstofhistory.com, that there are approximately 80, 000 Africans slaves that were sold each year to the Americans wherein they will spend the rest of their lives in chains as a slave. Based on the gathered information of our group, these African slaves were kidnapped from their native environment to be then shipped in some parts of America. Dr. Alexander Falconbridge, an advocate of Anti-Slavery Society in 1788 and an appointed governor of modern-day Sierra Leone, a colony inhabited by freed slaves at that time. Dr. Falconbridge narrated in his book An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa (1788), through this book he was able to share his accounts with the African slaves and recount their experiences to him as a slave. Sex trafficking in the other hand is a type of slavery that has been in existence since the middle ages. During the 19th century, the number of sex slaves was boomed till the 20th century due to the rise of globalization and western tourism. There are number of countries that legalize prostitution for the reason that it creates income for the state. According to a report published by The Age in 2003, the sex trade in Thailand alone generates revenues of more than US$ 4.3 billion annually (3% of the nations economy). (economywatch.com, June 2010). That is why it difficult for a state to let go of this profession.

As defined by economywatch.com The sex trade involves the recruitment, provision and transportation of individuals for commercial sex. The legal status of the sex industry varies among countries. Most sex workers are forced into the industry. The main forms of the sex trade include: Street prostitution, Escort agencies, Sex tourism, Internet trade, Child prostitution, Male prostitution Sex Trafficking does not only concern/involve male, female or children in a third world country. There are cases in which average American or European girls are abducted as a sex slave in other countries. They are often drugged, raped then blackmailed by traders, afterwards force them into prostitution.(Altink, 1995) Also, they are being recruited with a false promise of marriage....promise a job through personal contacts.abduction, or promises of a holiday, a student grant, political asylum or a visa based on a phoney[sic] job offer from a company.(Ibid.)

Sex work as defined by Ronald Weitzer in his book Sex for sale is a generic term for commercial sexual services, performances, or products given in exchange for material compensation (Weitzer, 2000). Weitzer defined it in a general context of the field but does it differ if it is done by force? HumanTrafficking.org conducted an interview with Ms. Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, the founder of Visayan Forum Foundation(VFF) and a recipient of AntiSlavery Award in 2005, she shared her own view on what causes human trafficking. She said that Victims are pushed by poverty, unemployment, lack of educational alternatives, peer influence, social expectations and armed conflict, and the mere inability of young people to continue their studies. Many believe in making family sacrifices. Children are the most powerless members of the community. Well start our discussion with a story of a girl named Sharon. She is a 13 year-old girl, whose life was changed because of people who are very selfish and self-centered. She was used as a prostitute, a sex worker. At that very young age she was exposed to the things that she wasnt supposed to experience. She was brought to Angeles City in Pampanga wherein there is an area where prostitutes or the sex workers live, and in that area there was about 500 workers. 75 percent of that estimated 500 workers are children and around 62 to 63 percent of those workers were under the age of 17. This girl has around 15 customers every night, and she has to work no matter what situation she is in, even if she is sick she has to work. These prostitutes are trapped because they are guarded and watched over so they cannot escape the area. Sharon was saved by one of her customers, but before this day came she has had a total of 1500 clients in total. She may be back to her family now, but she is a totally different person now because of the effect of what has happened to her. She may be back home, safe and sound with her family, but still thousands and thousands of boys and girls remain trapped in the countrys flourishing sex trade. This is just one of the many stories about child prostitution, there are worst cases, some may be just a minor case; but whether it is a major or worst case or not it is still illegal and it still should be stopped and prevented. The governments worldwide promised all children the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of Children in 1989. The rights basically are based on the childrens need to survive, grow, to participate and fulfill their potential, harness their skills and develop the way that the children should develop. Nevertheless, these rights are denied to most of our children here in the Philippines. A lot of children in our country doesnt go to school, does not have a proper shelter and clothing, and does not have enough food to eat. A lot of children are discriminated and are exposed to violence and abuse. (Sachs. 1994; UNICEF Philippines) A story of a child prostitute who has been forced and deceived in becoming a sex worker or a prostitute is a sad, wrenching story, but it is more tragic and difficult to explain and reason why, if the story is that the parents are the one who make their child/children work as prostitutes. This latter issue is really very alarming. It shows how families here in the Philippines are very desperate to earn money; and it is really depressing that the government could not do much about the issue. Yes they may have been creating and doing solutions for this issue but then they dont give it that much importance to the issue. Why would these children choose to do labor and work instead of going to school and live like a normal child? They are forced to do work and to earn a living for their family, exposing them to health risks and forgetting about school, interfering with them to go to school, because of poverty. In addition to the issue on poverty, another issue would be the lack of economic opportunities for the people or citizens who should be the ones working. Not all are able to exercise their rights, because these people lack a resource, thats why they dont gain opportunities; because that is how our society works, which should not be the case. Thus, these adults who cannot find work to provide for themselves and their families will use these helpless children to earn money. (Aldaba & Tamangan, 2004).

The UN defines the worlds youth as the age group between 15 and 24 years old, making up one-sixth of the human population.(www.timeanddate.com) We all have our rights, so does all the children in this world. Sex trafficking, is more profitable than arms or drugs smuggling as said by United Nations official Jean Fernand-Laurent. Though it is profitable, it does not give people the right to exploit the rights of the children/youth in the Philippines or in any other country. It is our duty to protect and give them the proper care and guidance in order for them to build a better community for the future generations. As a veteran of this community, we ought to hone the children and provide their basic needs such as education, shelter, clothing, food, and such. That is why there are laws that govern the rights of the children in the context of labor such as the acts listed below:

There are various child labor laws laws and enforcement that our government has been doing to solve the issue about the illegal child labor, trafficking and abuse on the childrens part. In the Republic Act No. 7658 of 1993 and the Labor Code of 1993 the act stated the prohibition of employment of children under the age of 15, except when working directly with a parent and when the work does not interfere with schooling. There is also the Republic Act No. 9231(Act Providing for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of - Child Labor and Affording Strong Protection for the Working Child), which was signed to law on December 2003, creating measures to prevent the worst forms of child labor. This effectively codifies in domestic law the provisions of ILO (International Labor Organization) Convention 182. It prohibits children less than 15 years old from working without a permit, unless the Department of Labor grants a special permit. It also limits the number of working hours for children, requires formal administration of working childrens income, initiates trust funds for working children, and guarantees their access to education and training. The government also made it a point to prohibit hazardous work for children less than 18 years of age. The Department of Labor and Employments Order No. 4 of 1999 prohibits the handling of dangerous machinery or heavy loads; work that entails exposure to extreme elements of cold, heat, noise, or pressure; work that exposes children to physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; and work that is hazardous by its nature. May 2003, a new counter-trafficking law was signed, the Republic Act No. 9208, this criminalizes trafficking for the purposes of exploitation, including trafficking under the guise of arranged marriage, adoption, sex tourism, prostitution, pornography, or the recruitment of children into armed conflict. There are also laws made on slavery and forced labor, these are prohibited under Articles 272 and 274 of the Revised Penal Code, and the Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act protects children less than 18 years of age, from all forms of abuse, cruelty, and exploitation and prohibits child prostitution and child trafficking. The government are creating possible solutions and instruments to solve the issue, such as the Philippine National Strategic Framework for Plan Development for Children, also known as the Child 21 and National Program Against Child Labor Framework, which both serve as the governments policy instruments for the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs designed to address the prevention and elimination of child labor in the Philippines. (US DOL: International Labor Affairs).

International Laws

-Section 1591: Sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion indicates that whoever knowingly in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means a person benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture which has engaged in an act described in violation of paragraph, knowing that force, fraud, or coercion described in subsection will be used to cause the person to engage in a commercial sex act, or that the person has not attained the age of 18 years and will be caused to engage in a commercial sex act, shall be punished as provided in subsection. -The United Nations adopted two protocols to the CRC on May 25, 2000, the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography 2000 (Sex Trafficking Protocol) and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (Child Soldiers Protocol) . The Sex Trafficking Protocol (STP) addresses the problem of sex trafficking, one among many purposes for which children are bought and sold, including, in addition, forced labor, adoption, participation in armed conflicts, marriage, and organ trade. The Preamble refers to achieving the purposes of the CRC and to the need for States Parties to implement specific provisions, among them CRC articles 34 and 35 on broad protections against child trafficking, sexual exploitation, and abuse. The Preamble also reflects CRC language in regard to protecting children from economic exploitation and performance of hazardous or harmful work. In addition, it recognizes that a number of particularly vulnerable groups, including girl children, are at greater risk of sexual exploitation and are disproportionately represented among the sexually exploited, and expresses concern over the growing availability of child pornography on the Internet and other evolving technologies. The STP defines and prohibits the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography; obliges States Parties to make certain acts punishable under their criminal law; sets forth the bases for States Parties to assert jurisdiction over actionable practices, and strengthens their ability to pursue extradition of offenders. The STP also provides for protection of and assistance to the victimized children in the criminal justice process, the best interests of the child being the guiding principle in the childrens judicial treatment. For purposes of prevention and redress of offenses, the victims must have access to procedures to seek compensation for damages from those legally responsible (article 9(4)). The STP also has provisions on strengthening international cooperation in regard to sex trafficking involving children and on reporting requirements for States Parties (article 12).

Since we are facing such issue regarding the welfare of the trafficked children/youth sex workers, our group had decided to make an action plan in taking part in solving the issue. Our plan is to be involved in a governance project of an institution that has a relation to our issue. The group will then allot a reasonable amount of time in taking part of the institutions project without jeopardizing the school works of the individuals in the group. Our group promises to do the best of their abilities in the governance project we are going to partake. It may be through basic education, social interaction, programs that will enhance the childrens perspective/social wellbeing and so on and so forth. To sum it up our groups plan is to focus on helping those people who are victims of sexual trafficking, these people who are homeless individuals, runaway teens, displaced homemakers, refugees, job seekers, tourists, kidnap victims and drug addicts. Sometimes parents sell their children to traffickers in order to pay off debts or gain income, or they may be deceived concerning the prospects of training and a better life for their children. We decide to pick this topic because this was one of the very alarming problem that our country is facing these days.

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UNICEF Philippines. Childrens Rights, Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org.ph/aboutus.html United States Department of Labor. Bureau of International Labor Affairs: Philippines. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/ilab/media/reports/iclp/tda2004/philippines.htm Weitzer, R. (2000). Sex for sale: prostitution, pornography, and the sex industry. (p. 3, 17). New York: Routledge.

External links: Morel, P. (Director) (2008). Taken [Theater]. Available from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/ Written by: Andal, Andres, Lapia