Human Trafficking and HIV & AIDS

The HIV and AIDS pandemic can be seen as both a cause and a consequence of trafficking in children.

On the one side, HIV and AIDS increases the number of children trafficked because there is an increased demand for sex with young girls, since they are perceived to be HIV negative (despite the fact that they are in fact more vulnerable to HIV and AIDS, both biologically and because of their lack of power to negotiate the use of condoms).

On the other side, this type of trafficking increases the number of HIV positive persons and this is so because, besides the fact that women and girls are more vulnerable to this infection, victims of trafficking are unable to assure condom use for their protection; they may be forced to engage in sexual practices most associated with HIV transmission; they are forced to have sex with multiple partners; they are victims of injuries (caused by violence during sex against their will) which increase their vulnerability to and risk of infection; their young and immature bodies are extremely fragile and vulnerable to such injuries; they often suffer from other sexually transmitted diseases due to their forced and unsafe sexual activities.