Abused children want a happy home

By Lela E. Madjiah

STOCKHOLM (JP): They came to tell their story. They came to offer their help to solve the problem. They came to seek cooperation from adults to fight the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

And they came to the first World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Children to ask for a simple thing: namely a happy home.

The story of Ines Maria Dias da Silva of Brazil is typical of many.

"My name is Ines. I am 13 years old. My sisters and I have suffered because of my father's violence against us. He has even threatened to kill us."

Her father's violent behavior drove one of her sisters out of their home. She ran away and spent a week living on the beach.

"The only protection she had was the protection of other street children," Ines continues.

Despite her suffering, Ines is grateful that she did not go into prostitution, like many other Brazilian children do.

"Thanks to the Center for Better Living, we were provided with shelter. We became strong and were able to stand up for ourselves. We told our father to leave home but still send us money," she says.

Ines was one of 20 youths invited to the congress by End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism, who, together with Unicef, the Convention for the Rights of the Child and the Swedish government organized the congress.

The 20 youths from the United States, Sweden, Japan, Rumania, Ghana, the Philippines, Brazil and Norway work for various non- governmental organizations in their countries.

Leandro Neves De Oliveira, also from Brazil, came from a family of eight who were surviving on US$5 a day. He became a drug addict and has been arrested six times.

"I suffered a great deal, was abused and beaten, but I was able to change because of the Center for Street Children," said De Oliveira, who is 18 and about to become a father.

The youths were passionate, sincere and honest in their fight against sexual exploitation of children. They offer a very practical insight into the issue.

The congress hall burst into applause after they finished speaking and there was a mutual feeling of the seriousness of the problem.

They opened the session with a short play depicting the lives of street children and the ordeals they go through: drug addiction, prostitution and child pornography.

"No more prostitution! No more child abuse! We are the suffering children of the world! We want a happy home! We want a happy home! We want a happy home!" they shouted.

Vera Ocampo of the Philippines says protection for children should start in the home because violence at home is what often drives children into prostitution.

"We should start thinking about giving everyone a true and happy family. Children run on to the streets to escape their fathers," Ines added.

The youths believe that, on the whole, governments have not taken suitable action to solve the problem.

"We have some doubts about your sincerity, your reports," said Ocampo when speaking about governments' support on the issue.

She urged governments to train police officers in how to deal with children and to be more sensitive.

"We urge for a revival of juvenile courts and to allow youths and children to take part in decision making on issues which directly or indirectly concern them," she added.

"There are a lot of adults who shun the voice of children. They think they are the experts and professionals because they have earned degrees," said Ruby Acebedo, 19, of the Philippines.

"Not everybody readily admits that sometimes youths have better ideas on how to solve the problem," she said.

Ivette of the United States rapped the media for their coverage of child prostitution and abuse. "Often the media sensationalize child abuse and sexual exploitation of children, they minimize coverage and tend to treat children as second-class citizens," said Ivette. "It's not really the children they care about, it's how to sell their stories."

The youths are aware that they cannot solve the problem by themselves. They feel discouraged because they realize their limitations.

But on this subject, Karin Andersson, the spokesperson of the group, said: "If you think you are too small to be effective, think of a mosquito!"