Sexual Exploitation of Children.

An estimated two million children are enslaved in the global commercial sex trade. Most are girls, but a significant number are boys. An untold number of others are sexually abused noncommercially. Most cases are not reported.

Kinds of child sexual exploitation?

a. Commercial

• Prostitution
• Sex tourism
• Child pornography
• Trafficking and sale of children for sexual purposes

b. Noncommercial

• Sexual abuse of girls or boys by family and community members
• Forced marriage

What are the manifestations of child sexual exploitation?

• Children as young as 11 are known to work in brothels, and some children between 10 and 12 years old living in out-of-home care have been used to make pornographic films.
• Girls as young as 13 (mainly from Asia and eastern Europe) are trafficked as "mail-order" brides. Trafficking affects an estimated 1.2 million children per year.
• Worldwide, 40-47 percent of sexual assaults are perpetrated against girls age 15 or younger.
• The child sex trafficking industry generates 12 billion dollars annually.

Where does it occur?

In all countries, both rich and poor. According to studies:

• Thailand, Cambodia, India, and Brazil have some of the highest rates of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
• In Mexico, more than 16,000 children are involved in prostitution.
• Sexual exploitation of children occurs in various locations, including on the street, in brothels, in private homes, and in tourist facilities, such as hotels.

Who are the most vulnerable?

• Girls and boys under age 18
• Children living in poverty
• Street children
• Runaways
• Children in vulnerable or marginalized situations
• Children of all social and economic status

What are the causes?

• Poverty and unemployment
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Government /law enforcement
• Corruption Expansion of organized crime and trafficking of children
• Low status of girls in many countries
• Illiteracy and lack of education
• Inadequate or non-enforced laws
• Lack of political will to end the practice
• Pornography and the promotion of sex tours on the internet

How does sexual exploitation impact the lives of children?

• Long-lasting physical, social, spiritual, and psychological damage
• Disease (including HIV)
• Violence and abuse
• Drug addiction
• Unwanted pregnancy and forced abortions
• Malnutrition
• Social ostracism

What is RCPI - Perú doing?

a. Prevention

• Publicity and information campaigns
• Training for volunteers
• Training for State agents

b. Fight against child pornography on Internet

• Promotion of spaces to report the crime via Internet
• Computer nets against Child Pornography
• Service to receive anonymous complaints about pages containing child pornography
• Tracing of pages containing child pornography or promoting these.
• Technological assistance for the State agents in charge of finding, investigating and prosecuting the criminals
• Forwarding of specialised information and complaints to the National Police

c. Protection of the victim

• Free personalised psychological attention for victims and direct relatives
• Free advice and legal defence for victims.
• Legal advice for victims of child sexual commercial exploitation, child trafficking and child pornography.
• Protecting child victims from criminalization

What other actions and services does RCPI - Perú provide?

• Elaboration of studies, reports and research about child pornography, child commercial sexual exploitation and child trafficking in Peru and the region.
• Development of issues such as: compared legislation, sexual aggressor profile, as well as the modalities, extent, consequences, effects and aftermath of this crime on the victims and the society.
• Service of filters and computer blockers specialised in public internet cafes, schools, companies and State dependencies computers.
• Centre of on-line public information specialised in child commercial sexual exploitation, child trafficking and child pornography.

Get involved

• Join us in the fight to protect children from sexually exploitation.
• Speak out. Ask Government to increase resources to prosecute citizens who sexually exploit children.
• Raise awareness among the members of your communitie. Inform them of the problem and get them connected with agencies that help exploited children.
• Make a contribution to Peruvian Net against Child Pornography.
• Report Child Sexual Exploitation. Contact the RCPI - Perú if you have information regarding a person who has sexually exploited a child, or suspect someone of child sex tourism.