Child prostitution- still a problem

Child Prostitution- pt.1 of 2
Do we care? Are there international forces at work that cause this problem?

Child exploitation, slavery and prostitution are old forces. They have existed at least since recorded history. Witness:

Gen 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

Trafficking in children has a long and sordid history. From earliest times for varying reasons mankind has sold children. Is this practice acceptable to society? If not then what forces conspire to cause this and allow it to continue?

Are there organized groups?
How many countries condone and promote this exploitation?

Speciality organizations, such as Missing Kids, Childquest and others are devoted to retrieving children and in the prevention of child theft.

World-wide barely more than a thousand cases are reported from 1997-99. Overall that just doesn't seem like a lot does it? At NISMART the results are vastly different.

In 1988, the estimated number of stranger abductions* was 200 to 300, according to the first National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway Children (NISMART).

Thousands of other short-term abductions occur to children mostly in the course of sexual assaults and other crimes. In 1988, the number of these short-term abductions known to police was estimated at 3,200 to 4,600. More than two thirds of these abductions occurred during sexual assaults.

Statistics abound- many conflicting and wrapped around differing modes and methods of reporting. One statistic that can never be measured is the cost of suffering from fear, mistreatment and abuse.

M2 Presswire; 4/14/2003

M2 PRESSWIRE-14 April 2003-UK Government: Commission on Human Rights begins discussion of rights of child; Special Rapporteur on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography speaks (page two of two)(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

DAVID SIMON FIGUERAS (Mexico) said the country was giving high priority to the international consideration of the issue of children. It actively participated and contributed to regional and universal initiatives for the strengthening of the rights of the child. Mexico had been one of the countries that had promoted the World Summit on the rights of children in 1990 and it was among the first counties to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

*I have broken this statement regarding child exploitation into two parts. I have intentionally limited each post to less than 500 words in compliance with ATS guidelines and hopefully to keep from getting 'zinged' from MODs.

part 2 of 2Child Prostitution

GUO YANG (China) said China had always attached great importance to the protection of the rights of the child and had formulated a series of regulations to give effect to its concerns. China had ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child as early as 1991. In 2002, China had ratified the Convention concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour and the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the rights of the child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

MIKE SMITH (Australia), speaking on behalf of Canada and New Zealand, said these Governments were all parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and had supported both Optional Protocols to the Convention, demonstrating their recognition of the need for enhanced promotion and protection of children's rights in these areas. The United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children had provided the blueprint for collective international action to improve the situation of children in areas such as promoting healthy lives, providing quality education, protecting children against abuse, exploitation and violence, and combating preventable diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

E. EKANAYAKE (Sri Lanka) said the Government, having considered the input of the National Monitoring Committee established under the Children's Charter of Sri Lanka, had included in its proposed Constitutional reforms special clauses relating to the rights of the child. In 1998, action had been taken to amend the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure Act to strengthen the child rights protection mechanism and in particular to protect children from sexual exploitation.

Many ATS threads have dealt with issues of child molestation and sexual slavery that cite numbers vastly different than then the 'official' missing children numbers.

No one seems to know the magnitude of the problem. No definate and workable appraoch appears on the horizon. This age-old problem apparently will continue on into yet another millenium.

We all have heard of child prostitution in 'other countries,' but I wonder how many realize it occurs every day in every city of any size in our own country. Does it matter that the child is from a poor family or is it a different reasons, I just don't know.

I have to wonder if some malevalent force that has a world-wide reach is at play. If so this force must have existed for hundreds of years as this problem seems to course throughout history.

No one cares about child prostitution in thrid world countries because they dont vote and pay tax dollars. In thrid world countrie parents use there kids to gain income so they might not think twice about child prostitution if it added to there weekly wage.
Why dosnt the world have to do anything ? well unless they commite a terroist attack nobody will care. However we will see world leaders sign meanless bits of paper that pledge the support to wipeing out child prostitution.

Young people getting get up in the sex trade when they go in search of a better life.
UN warns on South Asia child sex