Users
The users of trafficked victims are the people who arrive at the end of the trafficking
chain. They can either be prostitute users, head of a farm or a shop who need access
to cheap labour. Users may act as individuals or are networked through access to other
illegal activities – prostitution and sexual abuse of children and forced labour. They may
be unaware or unconcerned about trafficking or not perceive themselves as part of the
trafficking network.49
According to UNICEF, “very often they [the users] do not perceive themselves as part of
the trafficking network, although they are, in fact an engine in the machinery of exploitation.
All aspects of the role of users require further research”.50 In South Africa, it is the sexual
exploitation of children and its different actors that has received most attention in the
research on human trafficking. As a result we know more about trafficking in children for
sexual abuse than for other purposes.51
Users may act as individuals or are networked through access to other illegal activities
– prostitution and sexual abuse of children and forced labour. They may be unaware
or unconcerned about trafficking or not perceive themselves as part of the trafficking
network