WUNRN
"In
spite of the efforts to tackle it, sexual exploitation of children is on the
rise.....Trafficking of human beings for purposes of sexual exploitation,
affecting a large number of children, especially girls, is
also increasing."
Strasbourg, 03.03.2014 –
“On the occasion of the World Day against Sexual Exploitation (4 March), our
first thought goes to children: girls and boys targeted by travelling sex
offenders, trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced into prostitution and
child pornography, or victims of other forms of sexual violence,” Stella
Kyriakides (Cyprus, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur on children, and José Mendes
Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur on violence against women, declared
today.
“In spite of the efforts to
tackle it, sexual exploitation of children is on the rise. Sex tourism is
spreading, with an estimated 250,000 people travelling abroad for sex with
minors every year. Trafficking of human beings for purposes of sexual
exploitation, affecting a large number of children, especially girls, is also
increasing. In
The Council of Europe has
two powerful tools to combat sexual exploitation of minors: the Lanzarote Convention, specifically dealing
with sexual exploitation of children, and the Istanbul Convention on violence against
women. These are comprehensive treaties based on prevention, protection of
victims and prosecution of perpetrators, and require the criminalisation of all
kinds of sexual offences against children.
We call on the national
authorities of Council of Europe member states to put an end to impunity for
the sexual exploitation of children by ratifying and implementing the Lanzarote
and the Istanbul Conventions. We count on parliamentarians: by promoting
ratifications and supporting and monitoring implementation of these
instruments, they can save thousands of children from sexual exploitation.”
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http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/treaties/Html/201.htm
Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
Lanzarote, 25.X.2007