More cases of commercial sexual exploitation of children reported to Hotline

A higher number of cases of sexual exploitation of children for commercial purposes, including over the Internet, have been reported to the Hotline of the International Center “La Strada”. It was established that the target victims are aged between 10 and 17. They are mostly children lacking parental care or children from socially underprivileged families. ”Many persons become victims of sexual abusers, especially of those who want to make profit from this. The abusers often look for victims on the Internet. They take them to cafes and offer them presents. Everything depends on where the children come from and what needs they have,” the Center’s press officer Nicolae Misail has told Info-Prim Neo. Alina Popa, consultant of the Center’s Hotline, said the calls made to report cases involving children, including of commercial sexual exploitation, represent 8% of the total calls, as against 2-3% until 2010. More than 50% of the calls are made from rural areas. Seven cases of sexual exploitation of children over the Internet had been reported to the Hotline over January-July. The grandmother of a 14-year-old girl phoned and informed that fake pictures of her granddaughter with sexual character were published on a number of social networking sites. It turned out that the photos were put by the former girlfriend of her brother, who wanted to take revenge on him. According to the consultant, in such cases they inform the police and there are involved jurists, psychologists and other specialists, who monitor the case. Ascertaining this phenomenon, the Center “La Strada” launched a number of activities, including seminars to inform the parents and teachers, seminars in schools and camps where they discuss with the children. Recently, there were printed two guidebooks – one for parents and teachers and one for representatives of the law enforcement bodies dealing with such cases. The brochures contain information about sexual tourism, commercial sexual exploitation, etc. The second guide intended for the law enforcement bodies lays emphasis on the questioning of the children who are victims or witnesses of commercial sexual exploitation and the creation of the necessary conditions during questioning. Since September, the consultants of the Hotline of the International Center “La Strada” have received over 32,000 calls.