'Data on child prostitution in RI difficult to obtain'

'Data on child prostitution in RI difficult to obtain'

BEIJING (JP): Unicef has cited the difficulty of obtaining
data on child prostitution in Indonesia as one of the factors
hampering its efforts to deal more effectively with the growing
problem, an organization official said.

Pratima Kale, the United Nations Children's Fund's director
for East Asia and the Pacific region, spoke yesterday of the
causes and the dire consequences of child prostitution and
trafficking.

She spoke of the need to network and establish cooperation
with governments, non-governmental organizations and other
parties to handle the problem of getting enough data to plan
strategies of intervention.

"We don't have official data on the problem in Indonesia," she
said, pointing out that the issue is sensitive because of the
stigma it carries and the links it has with questions of economic
growth. However, she added, "it's not our intention to embarrass
any government."

Two other agency officials, Dr. Saisuree Chutikul of Thailand
and Lisbet Palme of Sweden, also explained that the ongoing
Fourth World Conference on Women, and the planned adoption of the
Platform for Action, will contribute significantly to helping
exploited children.

Cultural factors

Chutikul, whose country is a favorite among foreign pedophiles
entering as tourists, named poverty and the deeply-rooted
cultural factors such as greed, consumerism and "breastmilk
money" as contributing to the increasing incidence of child
prostitution.

Breastmilk money is the term used to characterize the
tradition of urging Thai children to work in order to pay their
parents back.

Tourism accelerates the condition, she said, which looks more
like "organized crime" given the tight network of those sexually
exploiting children.

"Many street children, especially boys, are serving pedophiles
visiting our country," Chutikul admitted.

The officials agreed that the problem occurs in all countries.

"We need to keep on trying for the sake of the children who
are exploited in the name of sex tourism," Kale said.

"What we need to do is to increase the penalties against those
who commit sexual relationship with a minor, and the police who
collaborate with the procurers, and even the parents" who force
their children into prostitution, Chutikul said.

The three speakers agreed that in many cases, laws against the
crime are insufficient or poorly enforced. Chutikul recalled the
case of a Swedish man found guilty of having sex with an underage
girl who was only sentenced to three months in jail.

"Many countries are having problems in terms of establishing
judicial processes for people who sexually abuse children, many
of the existing laws are outdated," Palme said. "And the bail for
such an offense is so cheap."

Palme also spoke of the difficulties to legally snare
offenders once they leave the countries where they commit the
crimes due to the lack of extradition agreements among countries.

Sweden and Germany already have such laws, while Belgium,
France and Britain are currently preparing similar measures.
"Enforcement, however, is another question," Kale said, stating
that "it's an economic problem as well', given the amount of
money involved.

Kale also pointed out how costly the growing problem is,
especially in relation to the high risk of infecting the children
with the HIV/AIDS.

Cost

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the deadly Acquired
Immuno Deficiency Syndrome will cost Thailand, for instance,
around US$800 billion in health services annually, she said.

More than one million children worldwide are reportedly forced
into the sex market annually--a multi-billion dollar industry
that subjects children "to a crushing form of exploitation".

Commercial sexual exploitation, Kale pointed out, endangers
children's mental and physical health and impairs aspects of
their development. "It's one of the worst violations of their
basic human rights," she said.

Unicef reported that around the world, children as young as
five are treated like commodities; they are bargained for,
smuggled and sold. Many are kidnapped and tricked into brothels
by promises of legitimate employment.

"In the age of HIV/AIDS, the sexual demand for younger
children, who are the most vulnerable, is growing," the report
said.

The government of Sweden, Unicef, End Child Prostitution in
Asian Tourism and several other organizations plan to hold the
World Congress on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in
Stockholm next August. (swe)