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Xin Y and Cai T.

b
a

c d
Figure 3. Heat maps of origions and destinations by gender of victims. (a) Destinations of female victims. (b) Destinations of male
victims. (c) Origions of female victims. (d) Origions of male victims

Consistent to the geographic hotspots revealed in the evidence of child trafficking in China. Our results indicated
heat maps, Table 2 also reinforces the geographic patterns. that there were two major categories of child trafficking:
For instance, compared to other areas, the Southwest region Intraprovincial (45%) and interprovincial trafficking
(Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan Provinces) has much (55%). The Central East provinces of Shandong, Henan,
fewer female victims bought (1-exp(-1.655))=80.8%, but and Hebei, as well as the Coastal provinces of Jiangsu,
a considerably higher amount of selling cases for both Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Fujian, are among the top
boys (exp(1.849)-1=535% and girls (exp(1.949)-1=602% trafficking destinations for all types of trafficking, with
more), while the East region (Jiangsu and Zhejiang more than half of intraprovincial trafficking occurring
Provinces) was only associated with a high frequency as in these regions. Interprovincial trafficking was more
a destination for both boys and girls but not as a point frequently observed in routes originating from the
of origin. The Southeast region (Guangdong and Fujian Southwest regions, such as Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan
Provinces) has very high levels of buying both male and provinces, to the Central East and Coastal regions.
female victims and selling boys but a slightly higher level Our results indicated that the majority of the trafficked
of selling girls; the Central East region (Shandong, Henan, victims were under 3 years old and were sold by their
and Hebei Provinces) showed high concentrations of both guardians and that almost all of the victims were adopted
selling and buying for both boys and girls. by their buyers. The findings implied that illegal adoption
4. Discussion might be one of the major driving forces behind child
trafficking in recent years. In contrast to earlier findings
The current study explores the characteristics, patterns, that highlight the connection of child trafficking and the
and related factors for child trafficking in China using the tradition of child-brides in certain regions such as the
CJO sentencing documents. By quantifying the sentencing Fujian province (Chen, Ebenstein, Edlund et al., 2015;
documents citing Article 240 of the Chinese Criminal Lid, Larsen, and Wyshak, 2004), we only found six victims
Law from the years 2014 to 2016, we provide some new intended for the role of a child bride, which may suggest

International Journal of Population Studies | 2018, Volume 4, Issue 2 7