CHILDREN AS GOODS
Children are not objects and that they are not the property of someone should not be a 21st century revelation. Sadly, this is not the case, especially these days children are often used, abused and used by others for their own ends. They are treated like objects and private property. Something has to be done!
IN THEORY
Article 34 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states: The contracting states undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse: To this end, the contracting states in particular take all appropriate domestic, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent children from 1 . are induced or compelled to participate in illegal sexual acts; 2. are exploited for prostitution or other illegal sexual practices; 3. Be exploited for pornographic performances and presentations.
It should be mentioned here that the USA is the only state that has not signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all other states have!
IN PRACTICE
But what does reality actually look like? If we look at the country of Nepal, an estimated 12,000 children, mostly girls, are victims of sexual exploitation in that country. Some domestically in Nepal and some who are sold to brothels in India or to other countries.
From South Asia to South Africa, 30,000 children under the age of 18 are forced into prostitution, be it through poverty, parents, “owners” or the like. Half of these children are between the ages of 10-14.
40 to 50% of the sexually exploited people are minors. They are children! In addition, passports, ID cards and documents are often forged so that girls can legally work as prostitutes or porn actresses.
Children are easier victims to exploit because they are often dependent on adults. The early sexual abuse gives the children little chance of getting out of prostitution or pornography. Young girls and boys are conditioned at an early age, made psychologically and physically dependent and thus kept as slaves and treated like animals. In addition, sexual exploitation prevents children from attending school or completing a degree thereby making it difficult for them to gain any independence. This is what pimps, brothel owners and often parents work to force upon their victims.
Additionally the risk of infection with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV / AIDS is extremely high, as adults often deliberately refrain from using contraception in children and this leads to unwanted, very early pregnancies, which in turn means maternal mortality rates are significantly increased. This all combines to entrench extreme poverty, prevent basic education for all, and worsens the health of mothers. It also stands in the way of the fight against HIV / AIDS – these actual development goals are not achieved because the lucrative, and cruel business of exploiting children is still profitable.
THE APPEAL
As long as we ignore inconvenient truths, consume pornography and tolerate prostitution, children will continue to be abducted, abused and often their short life ends in death, be it through penetration, murder or neglect. It’s up to us to speak up for those whose voices are not heard, those who cry in silence, and could even be next door or on our screens where they are exposed to violence and slavery.