Child Sex Trafficking as Modern Slavery: The Gap Between Global Norms and Domestic Implementation

This thesis examines child sex trafficking as a modern form of slavery, focusing on the gap between international legal standards and their implementation at the national level. Despite comprehensive international and regional frameworks prohibiting child sexual exploitation and trafficking, significant shortcomings persist in practice, leaving many minors vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Through a comparative legal analysis, the research explores two emblematic case studies - the Rotherham abuse scandal in the United Kingdom and the Epstein and Nassar cases in the United States - to highlight recurring patterns of systemic failure, impunity, and institutional neglect. The study aims to identify the legal and structural factors that enable such crimes to continue despite existing obligations under human rights law. Special attention will be given to the principle of state responsibility and due diligence, as well as the challenges posed by transnational criminal networks and cultural or institutional barriers that undermine enforcement. By bridging legal analysis with real-world examples, the thesis seeks to shed light on how international commitments often fall short in practice, and to reflect on possible reforms to strengthen accountability, victim protection, and prevention in line with human rights standards.