The role of the social worker in the prevention of child trafficking in South Africa

Abstract

Child trafficking is a global problem which affects every country. It is a serious crime that many governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community based organizations (CBOs) around the world are trying to address. Child trafficking involves multiple forms of exploitation, therefore it has been described as a form of modern slavery. South Africa, like most countries, is a place of origin, transit and destination. Children are increasingly being trafficked for purposes of sexual and labour exploitation. However, child trafficking has traumatic and devastating effects on the victims, affected families, communities as well as countries as a whole. The effects suffered by victims range from psychological, physical, emotional, social and economical in nature. The particular psychological, physical, emotional and social harm suffered by the trafficked children and their increased vulnerability to exploitation require that the governments and NGOs deal with them separately from adult trafficked victims in terms of laws, policies, programs and interventions. The best interest of the child must be the primary consideration in all actions concerning trafficked children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies. Research has confirmed that the population of children vulnerable to trafficking is growing worldwide with potentially disastrous effects. The number of orphans in many developing countries, including South Africa, is also rising dramatically due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The rapid rise of child-headed households is also creating fertile ground for traffickers. Literature also indicated that children have fewer control decisions about their lives, and that the national systems of child justice and child welfare often have inadequate means of protecting them against trafficking and, as a result, children remain vulnerable to the possible exposure of child trafficking. A great deal of internal trafficking of children occurs within South Africa for reasons of labour and sexual exploitation. It is confirmed in existent literature that South Africa is a major destination for regional and extra-regional trafficking activities. In this study, the researcher explored through a qualitative, applied study the role of the social worker in the prevention of child trafficking. The empirical study confirms that the information gathered from this study will benefit not only vulnerable children, families and victims of child trafficking, but also empower the social workers and other role players to render a more effective service to children vulnerable to possible child trafficking. Through an empirical study, it was concluded that the government in collaboration with NGOs, need to empower social workers in order for them to successfully execute their role in preventing child trafficking in South Africa. Prevention of child trafficking requires a short- and long-term strategy which should target tracking down the perpetrators and providing protection for vulnerable children who end up being victims of trafficking. Prevention of child trafficking focuses on three levels, namely primary, secondary and tertiary strategies. AFRIKAANS : Kinderhandel is ʼn globale probleem wat alle lande raak. Dit is ʼn ernstige probleem wat deur baie regerings sowel as nie-regeringsorganisasies aangespreek word. Kinderhandel is ʼn vorm van hedendaagse slawerny en sluit baie vorme van blootstelling in. Kinders word in toenemende mate verkoop vir kinderarbeid, asook vir seksuele blootstelling. Kinderhandel het traumatiese en vernietigende gevolge vir die slagoffers, hulle families, die gemeenskap asook die betrokke lande. Die letsels wat gelaat word wissel van sielkundig, fisies, emosioneel, sosiaal tot ekonomies van aard. Die spesifieke sielkundige, fisiese, emosionele en sosiale skade wat deur slagoffers van kinderhandel gely word, asook hulle toenemende weerloosheid vir blootstelling vereis dat regerings en nie-regeringsorganisasies ʼn ander aanslag moet gebruik as in die geval van volwasse slagoffers in terme van beleid, programme, die wet en terapeutiese intervensies. Kinders se behoeftes moet sentraal gestel word in alle aksies rakende kinderhandel – deur regerings-of deur nie-regeringsorganisasies, die hof, administratiewe of wetgewende liggame. Navorsing het bevestig dat die aantal kinders wat kwesbaar is tot kinderhandel wêreldwys kommerwekkend toeneem, met potensieel vernietigende gevolge. Die aantal weeskinders in ontwikkelende lande, insluitend Suid-Afrika, styg kommerwekkend as gevolg van die MIV-pandemie. Die voorkoms van huishoudings wat deur kinders gelei word, is vrugbare grond vir kinderhandelaars. In die literatuur word dit ook duidelik getoon dat kinders minder beheer het om oor hulle eie lewens te besluit, en dat nasionale sisteme van kinderreg en kinderwelsyn nie genoegsame kapasiteit het om kinders teen kinderhandel te beskerm nie. Die gevolg is dat kinders steeds blootgestel word aan kinderhandel. Kinderhandel binne die grense van Suid-Afrika sluit kinderarbeid en seksuele blootstelling in. Dit word bevestig in die bestudeerde literatuur dat Suid-Afrika ʼn eindbestemming vir streeks- en wyer mensehandelpraktyke is. In hierdie studie poog die navorser om deur middel van ʼn kwalitatiewe studie, die rol van die maatskaplike werker in die voorkoming van kinderhandel te ontdek. Die empiriese studie bevestig dat die inligting wat van hierdie studie verkry is, nie net weerlose kinders, families en slagoffers kan bevoordeel nie, maar dat dit ook maatskaplike werkers en ander rolspelers kan bemagtig om meer effektiewe diens aan kinders wat blootgestel is aan kinderhandel diens te lewer. Deur middel van die empiriese studie, is daar gevind dat regerings- sowel as nie-regeringsorganisasies in samewerking met mekaar maatskaplike werkers behoort te bemagtig, om hulle rol in die voorkoming van kinderhandel in Suid-Afrika meer suksesvol te kan vervul. Voorkoming van kinderhandel vereis ʼn kort- sowel as langtermynstrategieë wat daarop gemik moet wees om kinderhandelaars te identifiseer, en beskerming te bied aan weerlose kinders wat moontlike slagoffers van kinderhandel kan word. Voorkoming van kinderhandel fokus op drie vlakke, naamlik: primêre, sekondêre en tersiêre strategieë. Copyright