Child migrants and refugees moving through Europe are forced into “survival sex” to pay human traffickers, says the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). As a result of “credible testimonies” of sexual violence and abuse, authorities are being urged to take action.
The exploitation of the European migrant crisis by human trafficking gangs preying on the vulnerable has reached a new low point, with children resorting to prostitution in order to be able to continue their journeys across the continent.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said: “Refugee and migrant children moving in Europe are at heightened risk of violence and abuse, including sexual violence, especially in overcrowded reception sites, or in many locations where refugees and migrants gather, such as parks, train stations, bus stations and roadsides.
“From testimony and reports we have received there have been instances of children engaging in survival sex to pay smugglers to continue their journey, either because they have run out of money, or because they have been robbed.” Read more
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