 the street is my house Despite many efforts by dedicated groups and individuals to the contrary, the commercial sexual exploitation of children is a phenomenon that seems to be increasing in both scale and scope. Indifference and ignorance, the perpetuation of attitudes and values in a society that view children as economic commodities, the absence of and/or inadequate legislation, corruption, and limited sensitisation of law enforcement personnel are all factors which lead, directly or indirectly, to the commercial sexual exploitation of children.  breed by grandmother Obviously, legislation that protects children is necessary, but laws are of no use unless they are properly enforced. Corruption among police and other law enforcement officials is often cited as a major obstacle in combating commercial sexual exploitation. As is the case with most illegal activities, it is difficult to determine the overall extent of corruption. While it is true that traffickers can bribe some border officials and some police will accept the brothel owners' offer of free services in exchange for their silence, it is important to bear in mind that not all police and law enforcement officials are corrupt.  survive Specific measures to combat corruption should address the issue of selection, salary and working conditions of police and law enforcement officials, as well as their supervision and disciplinary procedures. Ideally law enforcement officials should police themselves, and rigorously oppose all acts of corruption. Failing this, another measure to combat corruption and hold police and law enforcement officials accountable is to establish national independent commissions of inquiry to investigate allegations of abuse and complicity. Training is one way to foster awareness among law enforcement personnel. Since 1996, intensive training of law enforcement personnel has been carried out to improve the protection services for children. This has been done with the cooperation of several national organisations in Turkey, as well as international agencies such as Interpol, ILO-IPEC and Unicef. Part of the programme involves the translation and distribution of an Interpol handbook on investigating cases of child sexual abuse.  child exploited Police in Costa Rica have begun training to educate officers about child sexual exploitation. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation works with investigators in Costa Rica to track Internet sites that promote the Central American country as a sex tourism 'haven'. Child Protection Units are another means of curbing the growth of commercial sexual exploitation of children. For example, Sri Lanka now has a Women and Children's Desk in every police station throughout the country. With the assistance of Forum on Street Children Ethiopia (FSCE), an ECPAT group, child protection units are also being set up in Ethiopia. The programme is due to expand to include all 28 stations in the capital, with additional provincial units. The success of this programme is credited to the commitment from senior police and legal administrators to establish such a programme. It is a clear example of police and NGO cooperation.
Police officers are given the option to join the unit, but must show a commitment to children. They receive training in children's rights and an understanding of the difficulties that children may face.
Two officers (one male, one female) are assigned to each station, and social workers, also trained by FSCE, complete the team of three. The officers at the unit do not wear police uniforms, as this has been found to intimidate a child. Source: ECPAT |
