Protecting children at risk of sexual exploitation
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is increasing in Colombia. It now affects about 35,000 children across the country, some as young as four. It is particularly acute in Cartagena - the tourism capital and a major destination for people displaced by Colombia's ongoing internal conflict.
As is so often the case, Colombia's most marginalised children are at highest risk - particularly those living and working on the streets, or those who have already experienced abuse. Despite the gravity of CSEC, research shows that many children feel unable to stop it and resign themselves to it being a part of life. There is a lack of awareness amongst families and communities that sexual abuse and sexual exploitation are damaging, wrong and a crime. Indeed, in some cases, children are lured or pressurised into sexual exploitation by their own family, friends or neighbours.
Sexual exploitation often occurs in the poorest communities, where violence and abuse are common. In these areas, families are surviving on the margins of society, without access to work, education or services. These are the communities where Children of the Andes' partner, Fundación Renacer, is working to change things.
Rebuilding childhood, restoring rights
Renacer is one of the few Colombian organisations addressing the issue of commercial child sexual exploitation. Renacer's roots go back to 1988 when a group of people committed their free time to befriending and listening to children who were being sexually exploited on the streets of Bogota. They wanted to help these children restore their rights to a childhood free from abuse and create an environment where it was not accepted for children to be exploited in this way.
Since then, Renacer's work has expanded to include outreach support for child sex workers, residential care, prevention programmes, advocacy and training. They also work closely with the government to change laws so that children are better protected.
Read our Spring 2010 Newsletter and learn more about the work we are doing with the Renacer Foundation.
