SEXUAL ABUSE AND COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN

By: RAQUEL E. NUEZ Community Based Service Unit DSWD Field Office XI Davao City

Introduction: A study on violence against minors show that more than half of the cases involved abuse of sexual nature. For every 10 cases of sexual abuse, 3 are cases of incest. (UP Center for womens studies & UNICEF 1996) Figures depict the profile of an abused child. Most likely the victim will be a girl, aged 11 years, victimized by a male family member in the home when they are left alone.

A focused group discussion conducted with girl children in shelters revealed that girl children suffer various forms of abuse. The cycle of abuse is often carried from adolescent to adulthood and when the child become parents their trauma transforms them from victims into abusers of their own children. Concerns about the safety, protection, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery of children who have been sexually abused and exploited are the reasons for establishing the Home for Girls for DSWD, NGOs & LGUs where high incidence of child sexual abuse are observed.

With the passage of the special laws for the protection and promotion of the Filipino Childrens Rights and well being, reports on sexual abuse and exploitation have increased over the years. Various forms of abuse and exploitation have addressed. These do not only include sexual abuse and exploitation but also physical and psychological abuse and other violations such as child trafficking, child labor, illegal recruitment, pornography and the like.

Despite efforts to encourage reporting and seeking assistance, it has been observed that many children victims remain silent and hidden. Obstacle in stopping the cycle of abuse include shame, fear, ignorance, nuances of culture and belief must be dealt with to stop the abuse, protect the child and resume healing and recovery. Effects of child sexual abuse and exploitation are both serious and long lasting. Left unchecked, children are scarred not only physically but also emotionally which can manifest through deviant behavior.

Studies shows that child victims experience difficulties in achieving meaningful interpersonal relationships they become more vulnerable to a variety of inter-personal problems; and more susceptible to repeated abuse and other forms of exploitations. The abuse and exploited children experienced result to social exclusion, owing to deep and often overwhelming feelings of self-blame, rages against their abuses who is a stranger or in defense of abusers who can be a family member.

The law provides protective custody to sexually abused children. It mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development to provide temporary shelter in child caring institutions such as the Reception and Study Center for Children, Nayon ng Kabataan and Lingap Center. However, these centers caters to abandoned neglected and street children. The nature and extent of the problem besetting girl children in this instances gives the impetus for a separate center that will provide a comprehensive program of early identification and treatment that is gender sensitive and participatory to abate the long term consequences of sexual abuse & exploitation.

These realities have encourage the DSWD to draw the best of current practice and establish center based and community based programs for the treatment and rehabilitation of sexually abused children. The objective of which is to help heal the wounds of abuse and exploitation and nurture their transformation from victims to children survivors

Definition of Terms
Sexual Abuse any employment use persuasion inducement, enticement or coercion of a child to engage in or assist another person to engage in, sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct or the molestation, prostitution, or incest with children.

Lascivious Conduct - any intentional touching, either directly or through clothing of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks, or the introduction of any object into the generation, anus or mouth, of any person, whether of the same of opposite sex, with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, bestiality, masturbation, lascivious exhibition of the genitals or public area of a person.

Exploitation any hiring, employment, persuasion, inducement or coercion of a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and incident shows, whether live or in video or film, or to pose or act as a model in obscene publication or pornographic materials or to sell or to distribute said materials.

Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSEC) constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children and amounts to forced labor and a contemporary from of slavery. - Sexual abuse by the adult and remuneration in cash or kind to the child or a third person or persons. The child is treated as a sexual object and as commercial object.

- CSEC includes the prostitution of children, child pornography; other forms of transactional sex where a child engages in sexual activities to have key needs fulfilled, such as food, shelter or access to education. It includes forms of transactional sex where the sexual abuse of children is not stopped or reported by household members, due to benefits derived by the household from the perpetrators

- CSEC also potentially includes arranged marriages involving children under the age of 18 years old, where the child has not yet freely consented to marriage and where the child is sexually abused. - Child Trafficking and CSEC sometimes overlap. On the one hand, children who are trafficked are often trafficked for the purpose of CSEC. However, not all trafficked children are trafficked for these purpose. Further, even if some of the children trafficked for other forms of wall are subsequently sexually abused at work,

this does not necessarily constitute CSEC. On the other hand, by no means all children involved in CSEC have been trafficked. Many are involved in CSEC near their homes. CSEC is also part of, but distinct from, child abuse, or even child sexual abuse. Child rape, for example, will not usually constitute CSEC. Neither will domestic violence. Although CSEC is considered as child labor, and indeed one of the worst from of child labor, in terms of international connections, in legislations, policy and progmmatic terms, CSEC is often treated as a form of child abuse or a crime.

In region XI, commercial sexual exploitation of children usually attributed by these factors such as child labor, severe poverty, low education, family dysfunction and a cultural obligation to help support the family or the need to earn money to simply survive. In order to make a living children are sold into the sex trade to provide food and shelter and in some cases money to satisfy the addiction of a family members or themselves.

There are also non-economic factors that pushes children into commercial sexual exploitation. Children who are at greatest risk of becoming victims of CSEC are those that have previously experienced physical or sexual abuse. A family of little protection, where adults are absent, or where there is high level of violence or alcohol or drug consumption, endures boys and girls to run away from home, making them highly susceptible to abuse. Children living in extreme poverty and marginalized families in coastal or far flung areas are also victims of CSEC.

The presence of military troops, large public workers, sex tourist, and internet has contributed in the growth of child exploitation. Population density, concentration of night entertainment (bars & disco), high poverty , unemployment levels, movement of people and access to highways, post or borders are associated with CSEC.

Below are statistics of Sexually Abused and CSEC in Region XI from 2005-2008 by province
Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006 2007

2008

Panabo City

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

12 8 4

18 18 -

4 4

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Tagum City

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

6 5 1 4

6 6 -

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Mati City

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

18 9 7 2

6 6

1 1

2 1
1

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Davao Oriental

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

3 3 1 4

17 8 7 2

7 5

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Davao del Sur

Digos City

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

6 4 2

6 4 2

1
1

Province/Cities

Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Compostela Sexually Abuse Valley

Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

9 6 3

11 9 2

7 6 1

3 2 1

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Davao City

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

5 3 1 1

26 16 8 2

13 7 1 5

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

Davao del Norte

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

6 4 2

12 11 1

8 4 4

3 2 1

Province/Cities Client Category

2005

2006

2007

2008

IGACOS

Sexually Abuse Rape Incest AOL Sexually Exploitation Victims of Trafficking Victims of Prostitution

1 1

1 1

DSWD Programs and Interventions

1. Residential Care a treatment facility for girl children aged 7 to 18 years old operation in 24 hours in Maa Dvo. City 2. Psychosocial Interventions (Legal, Psychological & etc.) 3. Therapy Sessions or Counseling 4. Limited Financial Assistance for the victim and family in case of transfer of residence and other basic needs

5. Educational Assistance 6. Referrals to appropriate agencies Advocacy: 1. Lobbying 2. Campaigning and Media Work ( TV and Radio Guesting) 3. Networking and coalition-building 4. Forum

To end my lecture, I would like to pose these challenge to all the service providers who in one way or the other has direct contact with our children who are abused and exploited. Genuine care and concern are the important things to reach and touch the hearts of children. More often than not, life changing effects can be seen among children who see that service providers or child care workers are not simply doing their job but are personally concerned with their welfare and future. Recognize HOPE as a key concept in helping abused children. Get involved and committed Let us put our efforts together in fighting child abused and exploitation.

Thank you . . .