Human traffickers capture thousands of unaccompanied refugee children across EU
ISTANBUL (AA) – Thousands of children who lost their parents while migrating to Europe fall prey to human traffickers or the organ mafia in the countries they visit.
The whereabouts of many refugee children who fled Ukraine due to Russia’s war are unknown.
Although international non-governmental organizations have documented the use of missing children in illegal activities such as prostitution and human trafficking on numerous occasions, it has not yet been determined how many children have disappeared, how many are alive, and where they are located until now.
On the occasion of World Children’s Day on Nov. 20, Zehra Hopyar, a researcher at Sakarya University’s Diaspora Research Center, made an assessment of the refugee children who went missing in Europe.
Hopyar told Anadolu Agency the cases of missing migrant children in Europe began with the refugee crisis in 2015, and the number of unaccompanied children in Europe has increased significantly in recent years, and these disadvantaged children live a life devoid of basic rights such as education, food and health.
She said that criminal organizations target missing refugee children in Europe for use in crimes such as human trafficking, organ mafia, forced begging and prostitution.
Hopyar added that these youngsters are forced to work in perilous industries that involve violence, sexual abuse, and other forms of mistreatment.
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