ASIA: Global recession boosts child prostitution and trafficking
BANGKOK, 29 September 2009 (IRIN): Commercial sexual exploitation of children is booming in Southeast Asia, with governments failing to do enough to protect young people, experts say.
The International Labor Organization estimates that sex tourism now contributes 2-14 percent of the gross domestic product of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.
According to the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), an estimated 1,8 million children (mainly girls but also a significant number of boys) enter the multi-billion dollar commercial sex trade annually.
– The recent economic downturn is set to drive more vulnerable children and young people to be exploited by the global sex trade, Carmen Madrinan, executive director of End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual purposes (ECPAT), said.
– The indifference that sustains the criminality, greed and perverse demands of adults for sex with children and young people needs to end, noted she.
According to a recent report by the group, increasing poverty, reduced budgets for social services, and restrictive immigration laws in “destination countries” (which encourage children to avoid detection) are among the factors heightening childrens vulnerability.
Added to that, deteriorating household living conditions often compel young people to abandon school to contribute to the family income, exposing them to risk as they seek livelihood options that could result in exploitation, the report states.
Læs videre på
