Children are uniquely vulnerable to the worst parts of the refugee crisis, the report found. Because children are often traveling alone or with limited resources, they are at heightened risk of exploitation, including trafficking, sexual exploitation, and enslaved labor. Forsyth noted that on one route through the Mediterranean, 9 out of 10 children traveling were alone.

“The stories they tell are horrific before they ever get onto those boats," he recounted.

He shared a story that highlighted the risks, about a young girl fleeing war in northern Nigeria who was forced into sex work in Italy. Her traffickers kept her locked in an underground prison and abused her for months before she made it to safety.

“Now she is in a children’s home in Sicily," he said. "But still, those same traffickers were trying to lure her out of that children’s home into prostitution.”

Things don’t necessarily get easier for those who do reach their destinations. The report finds that refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school, and often face discrimination, exclusion, or threats in their new countries. They are also more likely to be deported because of a lack of legal aid, and sent back to countries where they may face threats and danger. Even those who aren’t deported may be detained or incarcerated at their destination country over their migration status.