child helplines: empowering & protecting children

Child Helplines: Empowering & Protecting ChildrenAfrooz Kaviani JohnsonRegional Technical DirectorProject Childhood Prevention Pillar

Hanoi, Vietnam - 26 November 2013

A program to protect children from sexual

exploitation in tourism

An initiative of the Australian Government

Implemented by World Vision (Prevention) and UNODC / INTERPOL

(Protection)

Operating in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and

Vietnam

Project Childhood

Key areas of work1. Building community resilience2. Enhancing national information and communication

mechanisms3. Supporting the tourism sector to build a child safe

environment4. Technical assistance to government5. Coordination, cooperation, research and

communications

Our approach

1. Child sexual abuse is a global problem.

2. Girls and boys can be victims of abuse.

3. Children usually know their abuser.

4. Abusers can befriend victims and their families.

5. Children don’t always speak up about abuse.

6. Child sexual abuse is against the law.

7. All children have the right to protection.

Child sexual abuse – the facts

• Limited understanding about ‘sexual abuse’ (penetrative rape only)

• Limited understanding about who is an offender (strangers and outsiders, foreigners)

• Overemphasis on girls’ virginity / insufficient protection of boys

Findings from communities

• Limited formal education / peers and media have huge influence (risk of incorrect information)

• Parental resistance to sex education / limited understanding of risks and participation in prevention efforts

• Significant use of ICT / anonymity

Findings from communities

Educating girls and boys

Educating parents and carers

Educating community duty bearers

Strengthening national helplines

The role of Child Helplines in preventing child sexual abuse

Children:

• Girls and boys.

• Aged between 0-18 years old.

• Any economic bracket – although frequently poor.

• Any education level – although often little schooling.

• Often victims of other forms of abuse and exploitation.

Who are the victims?

Who are the victims?Cases studies and reports of victims of sexual exploitation have often reported suffering from a lack of support and guidance, which can push them to run away from home or migrate unsafely (often to tourism destinations) and become vulnerable to exploitation

The importance of helplines• Children can reach out directly, before, during or after

abuse and access confidential advice and information• Helplines provides the specific intervention to a specific

child at the moment when she or he is most receptive

Partnerships with Child Helplines• Child Helpline Vietnam• Child Helpline Cambodia• Vientiane Youth Centre for Health and Development (Lao

PDR)

For more information:Email: Afrooz.Kaviani@worldvision.com.au Website: www.childsafetourism.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/childsafetourism twitter: @childsafetravel