Transcript Project Childhood Prevention Pillar
Child Helplines: Empowering & Protecting Children
Afrooz Kaviani Johnson Regional Technical Director Project Childhood Prevention Pillar
Hanoi, Vietnam - 26 November 2013
A program to protect children from sexual exploitation in tourism An initiative of the Australian Government
Project Childhood
Implemented by World Vision (Prevention) and UNODC / INTERPOL (Protection) Operating in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam
Key areas of work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Building
community resilience
Enhancing
national information and communication
mechanisms Supporting
the tourism sector
to build a child safe environment Technical assistance to
government
Coordination, cooperation, research and communications
Our approach
Child sexual abuse – the facts
1.
Child sexual abuse is a global problem.
2.
Girls and boys can be victims of abuse.
3.
Children usually know their abuser.
4.
Abusers can befriend victims and their families.
5.
Children don’t always speak up about abuse.
6.
Child sexual abuse is against the law.
7.
All children have the right to protection.
Findings from communities
• Limited understanding about ‘sexual abuse’ (penetrative rape only) • Limited understanding about who is an offender (strangers and outsiders, foreigners) • Overemphasis on girls ’ virginity / insufficient protection of boys
Findings from communities
• Limited formal education / peers and media have huge influence (risk of incorrect information) • Parental resistance to sex education / limited understanding of risks and participation in prevention efforts • Significant use of ICT / anonymity
Educating girls and boys
Educating parents and carers
Educating community duty bearers
Strengthening national helplines
The role of Child Helplines in preventing child sexual abuse
Who are the victims?
• • • • • Children: Girls and boys.
Aged between 0-18 years old.
Any economic bracket – although frequently poor.
Any education level – although often little schooling.
Often victims of other forms of abuse and exploitation.
Who are the victims?
Cases studies and reports of victims of sexual exploitation have often reported suffering from a lack of support and guidance, which can push them to run away from home or migrate unsafely (often to tourism destinations) and become vulnerable to exploitation
The importance of helplines
• Children can reach out directly, before, during or after abuse and access confidential advice and information • Helplines provides the specific intervention to a specific child at the moment when she or he is most receptive
Partnerships with Child Helplines
• Child Helpline Vietnam • Child Helpline Cambodia • Vientiane Youth Centre for Health and Development (Lao PDR)
For more information:
Email:
Website:
www.childsafetourism.org
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/childsafetourism
twitter:
@childsafetravel