Learn What CSEC Means!

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) refers to a "range of crimes and activities involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child for the financial benefit of any person or in exchange for anything of value (including monetary and non-monetary benefits) given or received by any person." (OJJDP n.d.)

Note: OJJDP stands for Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Identifying victims of CSEC and sex trafficking, can be difficult because of a general lack of public awareness about the issue; the reluctance of many exploited children to identify themselves as victims; and extreme measures taken by exploiters to hide their victims and their crimes (Walker 2013; President's Interagency Taskforce to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons 2014). On average, children first fall victim to CSEC between 12 and 14. Research on people who are trafficked shows that victims (juvenile and adult) come from all backgrounds, sexes, nations, and economic levels.