Due to its strategic position and its reputation as a migrant-receiving country, Côte d’Ivoire (CDI) is not immune to various forms of child trafficking, including commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Although no reliable official statistics are available, CSEC is perceived as widespread in CDI. The study on which this presentation is based aims to: 1) estimate the prevalence of CSEC; 2) assess the prevalence of Ivorian child labor law violations and U.S.-based child trafficking indicators; and 3) identify critical service needs for victims. A quantitative research design was employed. Link-tracing sampling, a variation of respondent-driven sampling (RDS), was utilized to reach a final sample of 588 CSEC victims and estimate population size. Data were collected via a survey questionnaire. The study estimated 2,853 CSEC victims in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with a potential range of 1,404 to 9,643. Significant demographic and risk-related findings include: 60% of victims were 17 years old, and over 35% were between 15 and 16 years old; 20% of victims had children, and over 33% reported engaging in unprotected sex within the preceding 12 months; over 50% had never been tested for HIV/AIDS, and approximately 1% had ever connected with a service provider; all participants met the criteria for child trafficking victims based on U.S.-defined indicators; and the research also identified emerging patterns of CSEC. The findings underscore the urgent need for the Ivorian government to develop and implement robust policies to address child victimization. The results highlight a critical gap in service provision, underscoring the need for improved, more accessible support systems for victims.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Charles Hounmenou is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). His main research area is human trafficking. He has conducted research on trafficking in the U.S. and West Africa and has over 25 publications on the topic. In 2020, he received the UIC’s Rising Star Award in Social Sciences Research. In 2018, he received the GAHTS Influential Scholar Award.