Determinants of Intention to Engage in Preventive Practices and Practices of Internal Child Trafficking Among the Residents of Wolaita Sodo Town

Author: Solomon, Tigist; Wole, Darge & Minaye, Abebaw

Abstract: Child trafficking violates the rights of children, resulting in serious physical, psychological, and social harm. Despite its prevalence, internal child trafficking has received little attention. While past research has focused on broader social, economic, and political drivers, there is a major gap in understanding of how individual and community-level factors influence prevention measures. The main purpose of this study was to explore the intention to engage in preventive practices and their influencing factors. A mixed-method study was conducted with 448 randomly selected residents of Wolaita Sodo town using a systematic random sampling procedure. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were employed to analyze quantitative data, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The results showed that attitudes toward preventive practice, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly predicted intentions and practices. Moreover, the study indicated that educational and socioeconomic status influence intention and practice, while gender and years of residence showed no significant effect. The study reveals that subjective norms and intentions influence preventive practices, shaped by culture and economic factors. General attitudes and perceived control were less influential, and improving community engagement through culturally sensitive, anonymous reporting is a key area for future intervention.

Keywords: child trafficking, intentions, preventive measures, community involvement, Ethiopia