ECPAT International

Network of civil society organisations

committed to ending child sexual exploitation

107 members in 95 countries

Manifestations of the
sexual exploitation of children (SEC)

▪ Online child sexual exploitation (OCSE)

▪ Trafficking for sexual purposes
▪ Early or forced marriage of children
▪ Sexual exploitation through prostitution
▪ Sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism
(SECTT)
Words matter

Sexual exploitation of
Child sex tourism children in travel and
tourism

Child sex tourist Travelling sex offenders

Terminology Guidelines

For more information, please visit http://luxembourgguidelines.org/

Online child sexual exploitation (OCSE)
Microsoft recently stated that of the 1.8
billion images uploaded every day –
720,000 are of child sexual abuse
Age of victims portrayed online
Increase in more severe forms of abuse
inflicted on children (for abuse images)

Boys more likely to feature in extreme

imagery (COPINE level 7-10)

Girls more likely to be represented in

imagery depicting moderate
victimisation (COPINE level 4-6)
 Trafficking for sexual purposes

According to the 2016 Global Estimates of

Modern Slavery, there were about 4.3
million children aged below 18 years in
forced labour, representing 18% of the 24.8
million total victims worldwide

Source: ILO (2016), https://www.alliance87.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/global_estimates_of_child_labour-

results_and_trends_2012-2016-executive_summary.pdf
 This estimate includes about 1 million
children in commercial sexual
exploitation

Source: ILO (2017), https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_574717/lang--en/index.htm

 According to UNODC, 72% of females and
6% of males detected as being trafficked
in 2016 were trafficked for sexual
exploitation

Source: UNODC (2016), https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/2016_Global_Report_on_Trafficking_in_Persons.pdf

“Victoria Secret” massage parlour
Sexual exploitation of children in
travel and tourism
▪ Exponential growth of the travel and tourism sector
▪ Increase of internet travel and budget airlines
▪ While the industry has increased in size, so too have
opportunities for those who would harm children
▪ Poverty or social exclusion
▪ Lax enforcement of laws that protect children
▪ Culture of impunity and corruption
▪ Children can be exploited anywhere
Offenders

▪ Most offenders come from the

region of the victim
▪ Exploitation is carried out in an
“opportunistic” manner
▪ Significant proportion of
offenders are business travellers
▪ Many are “situational offenders”
▪ Feeling of impunity
It is our responsibility to make sure
children’s rights are respected at all
times
Tour operators, transfer companies,
bus services, airlines, hotels, guest
houses, even restaurants, shops,
bars, taxis and tourist attractions
can all play a part in preventing
this crime
All children have a right to freedom
from violence, including sexual
abuse and exploitation
Practical steps

▪ Training staff where to report suspicions

▪ Training tourist workers to recognise a child at risk
▪ Training staff how to act if – for example – an adult
is checking into a hotel with a child who appears
intimidated, afraid or under the influence of drugs
or alcohol
Travel and tourism: an
opportunity for both
travellers and local
communities to share
cultures whilst maintaining
and promoting each other’s
rights
 Thank you for your attention
@ecpat robbertb@ecpat.net
@ecpatinternational