A/HRC/31/58
tourism, target children of a different ethnicity because they believe that the children are
inferior and/or that the local culture condones the sexual exploitation of children. 39 In
addition, caste-based systems or similarly entrenched inequities enable the offender to
justify the sexual exploitation of children from lower castes or groups. Discrimination
based on sexual orientation is also a source of demand, since the sexual exploitation of
homosexual or transgender children can be seen in certain cultures as acceptable. Indeed, in
those contexts the sexual orientation of the child is condemned and his or her exploitation is
blamed on him or her.40
46.
The real or perceived absence of accountability for crimes against children
empowers sexual offenders and guides their choice of destinations when they travel.
Moreover, the demand thrives on corruption and the complacency or even complicity of
law enforcement. Impunity can also derive from social and cultural norms of shame which
prevent the reporting of child sexual exploitation. Notions of honour and shame will lead to
the blaming of the child victim and even his or her exclusion from the family or the
community.
47.
Intrinsically related to the impunity of offenders is the inappropriate care given to
child victims of sexual abuse or exploitation. Research on preferential offenders has
demonstrated that a significant percentage of them were themselves victims of abuse and
exploitation during their childhood.41 A lack of care, recovery and reintegration of child
victims can thus indirectly fuel the demand.
48.
External factors, such as humanitarian crises or conflicts, can also foster the demand
factor. The ensuing chaos and lawlessness empowers offenders to target vulnerable children
in order to sell and/or sexually exploit them. 42
D.
Measures to reduce and eradicate demand
49.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography explicitly call for the prevention of the sexual exploitation of children. It is
thus the duty of States parties to those instruments to take all appropriate measures to fulfil
that obligation. Proactive measures to address the demand factor should be an upmost
priority. A prerequisite is to study and map the demand for the sexual exploitation of
children in order to develop fitting and coherent policies. A broad strategy is then necessary
to deal with all the levels of the demand and can be based on a three-pronged approach.
Firstly, prevention is necessary to address the majority of underlying factors of the demand
as well as to dissuade individuals from committing such heinous crimes. Secondly, it is
essential to deal with existing offenders by ensuring accountability, which also addresses
the underlying factor of impunity. Lastly, to be able to prevent reoffending, there should be
evidence and results-based rehabilitation programmes. The involvement of the private
sector is crucial in this broad strategy.
39
40
41
42
12
Protection project “International child sex tourism: Scope of the problem and comparative case
studies”, John Hopkins University, 2007, p. 23.
ECPAT International, “Informe de monitoreo de país sobre la explotación sexual comercial de niñas,
niños y adolescentes en Guatemala”, 2014, p. 19.
United States Department of Justice, “Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning
Initiative”, 2014, pp. 64-65.
A/HRC/19/63, paras. 27-31.
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