'Data on child prostitution in RI difficult to obtain'<\/p>\n
BEIJING (JP): Unicef has cited the difficulty of obtaining
\ndata on child prostitution in Indonesia as one of the factors
\nhampering its efforts to deal more effectively with the growing
\nproblem, an organization official said.<\/p>\n
Pratima Kale, the United Nations Children's Fund's director
\nfor East Asia and the Pacific region, spoke yesterday of the
\ncauses and the dire consequences of child prostitution and
\ntrafficking.<\/p>\n
She spoke of the need to network and establish cooperation
\nwith governments, non-governmental organizations and other
\nparties to handle the problem of getting enough data to plan
\nstrategies of intervention.<\/p>\n
\"We don't have official data on the problem in Indonesia,\" she
\nsaid, pointing out that the issue is sensitive because of the
\nstigma it carries and the links it has with questions of economic
\ngrowth. However, she added, \"it's not our intention to embarrass
\nany government.\"<\/p>\n
Two other agency officials, Dr. Saisuree Chutikul of Thailand
\nand Lisbet Palme of Sweden, also explained that the ongoing
\nFourth World Conference on Women, and the planned adoption of the
\nPlatform for Action, will contribute significantly to helping
\nexploited children.<\/p>\n
Cultural factors<\/p>\n
Chutikul, whose country is a favorite among foreign pedophiles
\nentering as tourists, named poverty and the deeply-rooted
\ncultural factors such as greed, consumerism and \"breastmilk
\nmoney\" as contributing to the increasing incidence of child
\nprostitution.<\/p>\n
Breastmilk money is the term used to characterize the
\ntradition of urging Thai children to work in order to pay their
\nparents back.<\/p>\n
Tourism accelerates the condition, she said, which looks more
\nlike \"organized crime\" given the tight network of those sexually
\nexploiting children.<\/p>\n
\"Many street children, especially boys, are serving pedophiles
\nvisiting our country,\" Chutikul admitted.<\/p>\n
The officials agreed that the problem occurs in all countries.<\/p>\n
\"We need to keep on trying for the sake of the children who
\nare exploited in the name of sex tourism,\" Kale said.<\/p>\n
\"What we need to do is to increase the penalties against those
\nwho commit sexual relationship with a minor, and the police who
\ncollaborate with the procurers, and even the parents\" who force
\ntheir children into prostitution, Chutikul said.<\/p>\n
The three speakers agreed that in many cases, laws against the
\ncrime are insufficient or poorly enforced. Chutikul recalled the
\ncase of a Swedish man found guilty of having sex with an underage
\ngirl who was only sentenced to three months in jail.<\/p>\n
\"Many countries are having problems in terms of establishing
\njudicial processes for people who sexually abuse children, many
\nof the existing laws are outdated,\" Palme said. \"And the bail for
\nsuch an offense is so cheap.\"<\/p>\n
Palme also spoke of the difficulties to legally snare
\noffenders once they leave the countries where they commit the
\ncrimes due to the lack of extradition agreements among countries.<\/p>\n
Sweden and Germany already have such laws, while Belgium,
\nFrance and Britain are currently preparing similar measures.
\n\"Enforcement, however, is another question,\" Kale said, stating
\nthat \"it's an economic problem as well', given the amount of
\nmoney involved.<\/p>\n
Kale also pointed out how costly the growing problem is,
\nespecially in relation to the high risk of infecting the children
\nwith the HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
Cost<\/p>\n
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the deadly Acquired
\nImmuno Deficiency Syndrome will cost Thailand, for instance,
\naround US$800 billion in health services annually, she said.<\/p>\n
More than one million children worldwide are reportedly forced
\ninto the sex market annually--a multi-billion dollar industry
\nthat subjects children \"to a crushing form of exploitation\".<\/p>\n
Commercial sexual exploitation, Kale pointed out, endangers
\nchildren's mental and physical health and impairs aspects of
\ntheir development. \"It's one of the worst violations of their
\nbasic human rights,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Unicef reported that around the world, children as young as
\nfive are treated like commodities; they are bargained for,
\nsmuggled and sold. Many are kidnapped and tricked into brothels
\nby promises of legitimate employment.<\/p>\n
\"In the age of HIV\/AIDS, the sexual demand for younger
\nchildren, who are the most vulnerable, is growing,\" the report
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The government of Sweden, Unicef, End Child Prostitution in
\nAsian Tourism and several other organizations plan to hold the
\nWorld Congress on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in
\nStockholm next August. (swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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