https://sharedhope.org/2014/03/gang-sex-trafficking-rise/

High profits, high demand, and relatively low risk have made modern day slavery a highly profitable industry. The need to unite to bring an end to human trafficking is greater now more than ever. the child trafficking industry is a 12 bill illegal operation that is occurring globally a predator can make over $200k each a year from just one victim of modern day slavery. Combine that with the estimated 2.5 million children that have been sexually exploited and $12 billion isn't such an unbelievable number.

Human trafficking is one of the biggest problems occurring in the U.S. and around the world. If the evolution of high profits, high demand, and low risk continues, the growth of this epidemic will continue as well. Due to these factors, criminal org, such as the mob and other gangs, have begun to take part in this tragedy that devastates the lives of millions of children around the world.

A large criminal organization that has been functioning for years has moved into the child trafficking industry. the boss of the Gambino crime family and 13 other people were charged with various crimes, one of which was child trafficking. According to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, this is a “new low” for the criminal organization and the first time the mafia has been caught participating in this type of offense. Members of the organized crime family had allegedly recruited several girls from strip clubs to be prostitutes. One recruit was a 15-year-old girl. According to the documents filed with the federal courts , the Gambino family had advertised the girls' services via Craigslist.

The victims were driven throughout New York area They were also made available to players at the criminal family’s weekly high-stakes poker games for sexual purposes. If the victims were non-compliant, they were beaten with baseball bats. Law enforcement officials look at this case as evidence that the mafia still exists today, and it appears there isn’t a crime too horrific they would not commit if it is profitable, including child trafficking.

the issue of gang involvement in modern day slavery is growing. Every month, at least 10 to 20 groups or individuals are added to the department's watch list. Since this number only represents those that are discovered by the police, the actual number of those involved is likely far greater. The tragedy is that children have become a commodity to gangs that are selling them as property to adults for abuse and rape. sounds like the magdalene laundries. There is a shift of gang activity away from selling drugs to selling human beings. When comparing the legal risk between the two crimes, the penalties for child trafficking is far less than that of drug trafficking. Moreover, there is essentially no overhead cost involved with modern day slavery. The fact is that gangs are using children for sexual purposes to profit.

Targeting The Demand For Child Trafficking

The largest contributing factor to the growth of day slavery around the world is the demand for it. In a yearly report released by the U.S. State Department, they state that an effective campaign to bring an end to sexual exploitation of minors throughout the world must address the demand side of the issue. This calls for a global response to enact harsher penalties for those that are enslaving human beings. In addition, criminals need to be investigated and successfully prosecuted.

Finally, the public also needs to become more aware of the problem affecting children in the U.S. and around the world. www.articlesfactory.com/articles/social-issues/how-us-gangs-and-mafia-are-contributing-to-child-trafficking.html