RP ranks 4th among nations with prostituted children

The Child Protection Unit (CPU) said the Philippines ranks 4th on the list of countries having a large number of prostituted children.

Citing reports of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR), CPU said there are about 75,000 children in the Philippines who were forced into prostitution due to poverty.

CWR reported increased incidence of prostitution in rural areas where food is planted and grown.

“The financial crisis has aggravated the condition of impoverished rural women. Although they produce food for the country, they cannot cope with the crisis because, to start with, they are landless and have been earning so little…” the report said.

Rural women and children are vulnerable to prostitution because of their impoverished situation. Farmers and fishermen comprise the poorest sector of our country. And across basic sectors, women and children account for the largest poor population.

The top five areas for child prostitution and sex tourism are Angeles City, Puerto Galera in Mindoro, Davao, Cebu and Metro Manila. “The sex trade in children is so well established because of the influx of sex tourists and the existence of sex tours catering to Japanese, European and other Caucasian tourists,” CPU executive director Dr. Bernadette Madrid said.

CPU targets to help at least 10,000 children annually by establishing one national and six regional training and treatment centers, which will be augmented by 25 child protection units in key areas in the country and 81 satellite offices nationwide in the next five years.

The centers and clinics that will be put up around the country aim to assist victims and their families get medical, psychosocial, and legal protection.

“There is no evidence that children in prostitution can ever fully rehabilitate. The wisdom of trying to end the prostitution of children rather than attempt to assist the victims has been confirmed,” Madrid said. –Daily Tribune