Secret Epidemic

The Secret Epidemic
                                                              Alexis Peters
                                                              Baker College


A growing epidemic that is almost completely unheard of in the United States. Children soldiers. Is that even possible you may ask yourself? It’s possible because it’s happening in Iran, Uganda, all different countries and continents and it’s almost as though there’s nothing we can do to stop it. There are three main questions to ask yourself here; 1: How do the soldiers get ahold of the children they hold hostage? 2: How do they keep the children from running away or causing havoc? And 3: Should the children soldiers be punished for their crimes?
Worldwide children have been affected by war conflict. And now across the world young children between the ages of 8 and 18 are being kidnapped, drugged constantly, held hostage and forced to fight in war. The ones that are ever lucky enough to escape are usually so far from home that they don’t find their way back. It’s as if you’re walking on a treadmill, you’re walking and walking but you’re not getting anywhere. That’s how these children that escape feel. Some of them are found and brought back, some starve to death, and some are even luckier to find shelter or family. Adult soldiers (mainly male) walk through villages at night, break in and kidnap the children, other soldiers go in pure daylight, getting the children while their playing or running around outside. It’s almost as though its second nature to them. Stealing children away from their families, ruining lives, murder.
The older soldiers drug the children with almost anything they can get their hands on, from amphetamines to tranquilizers. These drugs were so powerful especially to very young individuals, that the older soldiers could get them to do practically anything they wanted. The drugs are so addicting that if the person goes a certain amount of time without the drug...