Child Sexual Abuse (CSA), Sexual Ritual Abuse (SRA), and Child  Trafficking are distinct yet often interconnected forms of exploitation  that violate the rights and safety of children worldwide. Studies  indicate that millions of children are impacted by CSA, and more than  90% of children who become victims of trafficking were first victims of  sexual abuse.  

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Facts
 

• Definition: CSA is the involvement of a minor in sexual activity for which they cannot legally consent.
• Prevalence: Nearly 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse during their childhood.
• Perpetrators: About 91% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child or their family knows.
• Impact: Victims face long-term health consequences, including  chronic conditions, mental health issues, and a high risk of developing  PTSD (80% of trafficking victims).
• Non-Disclosure: Many children who experience abuse do not tell anyone during their childhoods. 

Child Trafficking Facts
 

• Definition: Child sex trafficking is the recruitment,  harboring, or exploitation of a child (under 18) for a commercial sex  act, regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion is used.
• Not Always Kidnapping: Most victims are not snatched by strangers; they are often trafficked by family members, romantic partners, or acquaintances.
• High-Risk Factors: Youth who have experienced trauma, homelessness, are in foster care, or have run away are at higher risk.
• Online Exploitation: Social media and gaming platforms are frequently used to groom and recruit victims.
• Prevalence in US: Reports of possible child sex trafficking in the US came from all 50 states, with over 17,000 reports in 2020.
  

Sexual Ritual Abuse (SRA) and Ritual Abuse Trafficking

• Definition: SRA involves the abuse of children within the context of rituals, which may be part of larger, organized criminal networks.
• Purpose: These rituals are designed to intimidate,  traumatize, and psychologically bind children to their abusers to  prevent them from seeking help.
• Methods: These methods may involve forced labor, sexual exploitation, or other abuses. 

Key Connections and Trends
 

• Trafficking & Welfare System: 50-90% of youth who have experienced child sex trafficking have a history of involvement with the child welfare system.
• Runaways: 1 in 6 of the more than 25,000 missing children  reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children  (NCMEC) in 2021 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
• Gender: While girls are disproportionately affected  (two-thirds of child victims), boys are also victims of trafficking and  sexual exploitation.