A Systematic Review of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background & Purpose. Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is prevalent in every region in the world. Yet, there is a lack of reliable statistics on the problem in any region, including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Research on CSEC in SSA was considered fragmented and sparse. Today, a substantial number of studies are available on CSEC in the region. The assumption is that CSEC-related research in SSA is no longer an outlier to the mainstream literature. The paper will address three research questions: (a) What is the quality of the research done about CSEC in SSA? (b) What are the key characteristics of CSEC in the region? and (c) How different are CSEC and the related research in SSA from occurrences in other regions?

Methods. A systematic review of the literature on CSEC in SSA was conducted. Electronic bibliographic database and manual searches were used to locate studies. The studies were selected based on the following criteria: (a) focusing on any forms of CSEC; (b) based on research done in SSA; publication year being between 2000 and 2017; and (c) being a peer-reviewed article or a research report. The review consists of three major parts: first, the quality of the empirical research on CSEC based on a framework of three indicators (research basics indicators; methods indicators; and data indicators); second, the salient characteristics of CSEC in SSA; and third, distinctive aspects in the literature on CSEC.

Results. A total of 86 studies including 43 peer-reviewed articles and 43 research reports were selected and reviewed. First, regarding the quality of the literature, several themes emerge, including: (a) inadequate description of ethical considerations in some studies; (b) substantial participation of children in research on CSEC in the region; and (c) the use of participatory research strategy with children as key players. Second, in terms of the characteristics of CSEC, the findings highlight the following: (a) child prostitution is the most prevalent type of CSEC in the region; (b) most children in the region have agency in the sex trade; (c) child sex tourism, especially its subtype known as “voluntourism,” is increasing in the region; and (d) most child victims of CSEC live with their families. Last, distinctive elements of CSEC in SSA include (a) little presence of pimps; (b) emerging research on child sex tourism and online sexual exploitation; (c) lack of research on mental health issues among child victims; and (d) education as a non-protective factor against CSEC.  

Conclusion & Implications. The review not only indicates that substantial research has been done on CSEC in the region, but, most important, it challenges some key knowledge in the mainstream literature. The findings show that SSA has become a region of promising research approaches on CSEC. The review points to the importance to give consideration to social and cultural factors in any research on CSEC in the region. The review also calls for clear ethical considerations and robust monitoring standards in any research on CSEC in the region and beyond.