International day against sexual exploitation

• April 19, 2024

The September 23 It is the International Day Against Sexual Exploitation. The abuse and sexual exploitation of children, adolescents and adults for sexual satisfaction in exchange for a remuneration of money or species, constitutes a form of coercion and violence, considered a contemporary variant of slavery , according to the definition of the United Nations Fund for Children, UNICEF.

Child prostitution, trafficking, sale of infants, youth and adults for sexual purposes as well as the production, promotion and dissemination of pornographic materials are considered practices that involve sexual exploitation. Some estimates indicate that the number of children who are victims of trafficking in minors is about 1.2 million each year

The social services agency of Mexico informed UNICEF about the existence of more than 16 thousand boys and girls who practice prostitution; The tourist destinations are the areas where they abound most, such as the cities of Cancún or Acapulco.

The World Health Organization indicates that trafficking and trafficking in persons is a high-profit, low-risk industry, since in many cases sanctions are not very severe. However, the WHO warns that sexual exploitation is not a low risk for abused people, since it is accompanied by health consequences that affect physical, mental and social well-being , which represents a threat against life.

Consequences in health

Some of the main concerns of WHO regarding sexual exploitation are:

• Violence: the psychological violence , physical and sexual can cause victims depression, suicide attempts, injuries, and even death.

• Reproductive health: any type of participation in the sex industry, whether under exploitation or by free decision, is associated with an increased risk of suffering sexually transmitted infections , unwanted pregnancy, forced abortions and all the implications that these practices imply in health.

• HIV / AIDS: the chances of suffering from HIV / AIDS increases in victims of sexual exploitation because they do not have access to condoms. The risk increases in these cases due to tears in the vaginal and anal tissue due to practices of violent sex , rapes or ulcers associated with STIs.

• Use and abuse of illegal substances: victims of the sex industry consume drugs and alcohol as an escape route from reality. Generally its voluntary use or not, leads to addictions.

• Little access to health services

Video Medicine: Hear it from Them - children about sexual exploitation (April 2024).