Accurate statistical data on child trafficking within nations and across international borders is scarce. In 2002, it was estimated that 1.2 million children were trafficked annually; more recent estimates suggest that the number is increasing. The U.S. State Department (2007) reported that more than two million children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade every year. Children are trafficked for a variety of purposes including; labor exploitation, domestic work, sexual exploitation, military conscription, marriage, illicit adoption, sports, begging, and organ supply. A range of individuals and groups contribute to child trafficking, including the children's family members and friends, private individuals, and organized criminal networks. In some regions, traffickers recruit their victims through bogus or marginally legitimate employment agencies, through false advertisements in local newspapers, or through mail-order bride catalogs. Although empirical research on the impact of trafficking on children is scarce, several case studies and journalistic accounts suggest victims suffer from trauma linked to extreme physical and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. Risk factors for child trafficking include poverty and economic inequality, being female, being between 12 and 16 years old, being of an ethnic minority, inadequate family protection, lacking education and vocational skills, and living in a rural area. Despite some noteworthy progress in setting standards for the rights and treatment of children through international conventions and the enactment of comprehensive legislation and multilateral agreements, there is a need for coordinated and comprehensive international efforts that address the economic and social factors that continue to place children at risk for trafficking. Also, high priority should be given to the development of data collection and reporting procedures that facilitate the rapid identification of children as trafficking victims. 1 figure and 77 references