The issue

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that at least two million children and young people are exploited in the worldwide sex trade every year[1]. This issue continues to worsen, with sexual exploitation of children, both online and in person, increasing.[2].

Despite efforts by organisations like UNICEF, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and New Zealand organisations including the Department of Internal Affairs, NZ Customs Service and NZ Police to combat this issue, the lack of effective legal frameworks and enforcement continues to pose challenges.

In New Zealand and around the world, children are children are sexually exploited by people they know, and manipulated/deceived, often by their families. Some "self-rescue" by running away[3].

Child sexual exploitation exists all over the world - no country is exempt. In New Zealand, a lack of awareness of the issue has allowed this exploitation  to go unnoticed, leaving children in our country vulnerable. As child sexual exploitation is a quickly evolving landscape, the need for awareness raising in New Zealand is critical.[4]

[1] UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. (2023). Annual Report 2023
[2] U.S. Department of State. (2024). 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report
[3] ECPAT Research - Referral pathways for child victim – survivors of commercial sexual exploitation including online child sexual abuse material in Aotearoa New Zealand 2023
[4] Refer NZ Context, Further Support – Helplines and Charities Section