By Darren Zhang
A child advocacy and protection agency has raised concerns over the increased risk of children being sexually exploited across New Zealand during the RWC season.
“The concern for ECPAT Child ALERT is that children must not be seduced or lured into this activity due to demand and the opportunity to earn money or gifts in exchange for sexual services,” says Becky Low, ECPAT (End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) New Zealand’s youth advisor.
Already rape prevention group Rape Prevention Education fears that a potential nationwide increase in sexual violence will overwhelm support services thanks to a combination of large overseas visitor numbers and excessive drinking.
“The Rugby World Cup will be a huge event for New Zealand in 2011. The thousands of overseas visitors arriving for the Rugby World Cup will result in an increase in the demand for the purchase of sex. This runs the risk of an increase in demand for children (those under 18 years) for sexual purposes. Of particular note is that schools will be closed for an increased holiday period, with more children on the streets and potentially vulnerable.”
Traditionally, major sporting events have attracted increased child sex trafficking such in the case of the American Super Bowl which Texas Attorney General Grey Abbot described as the “single largest human trafficking incident in the United States”.
According to a 2008 report by the Prostitution Law Review Committee, police estimated over 200 children were involved in prostitution in New Zealand. A national survey of counsellors and welfare agencies conducted by ECPAT NZ in 2002 found that of the 200 known cases of underage commercial sexual activity, 145 involved children under the age of 16.
The actual number is thought to be a lot higher as most children being prostituted do not come to the attention of professionals.
Paula Bennett, Minister of Social Development recently released a Green Paper aimed at opening up discussions on improving outcomes for vulnerable children. “Too many of our children are needlessly suffering and it doesn’t have to be that way. Now is the time for New Zealanders to be part of the solution.”
Members of the public are encouraged to notify the New Zealand Police of suspicious public behaviour or upon becoming aware that a child is sexually exploited.
ECPAT New Zealand has also launched Don’t Sweep it Under the Rug, a youth movement to involve young people in taking action against the commercial sexual exploitation of children as part of their international Youth Participation Project.
“ECPAT Child ALERT is pleased to be playing a small part to help ensure the safety of children during this time.”
Darren Zhang is working with UNICEF as part of the 3Youth project, an upcoming section of the 3 News website focusing on social issues and written by young people.