Interviews

What factors make boys and girls more vulnerable to CSEC?

Andrea Compagno: Poverty, illiteracy, discrimination against women, emergency situations, conflict, lack of family structure, social marginalisation, the effects of Aids – which leaves orphaned children, the concept of the consumer society we have built and the masculinity that reigns in many places…. It is no one factor, there are many.

What tools are there in Spain to fight CSEC?

A.C.: In terms of measures for protection and prevention, an important tool has been the national plans against child sexual exploitation, which cover a range of actions (training, awareness-raising, network building, etc.). In terms of prosecution, there is no comprehensive law against CSEC, or to protect children and adolescents. We have to turn to different articles of the penal code, and these do not incorporate all of the international recommendations. Likewise, we have to take into account that responsibility for children has been transferred to the autonomous communities in Spain and this means that the laws and the actions to fight and prevent CSEC are not standardised.

When aiding victims of CSEC, are there special procedures for children?

A.C.: No, they are dealt with in the same way as any other victim of crime. For years now, there have been calls for the creation of specific procedures for children. Though the law on criminal prosecution has some measures, their application depends on the criteria of the judge in each case.

Debora D’Alleva: There are shelters for abandoned children, unstructured families, unaccompanied immigrant minors, etc. But not exclusively for victims of CSEC. Some NGO centres have specialised in sexual abuse in families.

Is it common for cases of CSEC in Spain to appear in the media?

A.C.: Not very often, despite it happening in our towns and cities. Unfortunately, it is always easier to just look the other way.

D.D.: I see quite a lot of news items, and notice that they are very often about child pornography. There are specialised units within the Catalan and Spanish police forces dedicated to fighting CSEC, and I think this will lead to more news.

What are the figures for CSEC in Spain?

A.C.: There are no official, or even semi-official, figures. This was one of the demands from the Children’s Rights Board in its latest report of recommendations for the Spanish government. The lack of figures was also stressed at the 3rd World Congress against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents held in Brazil. No country has official data, just estimates. In the case of Spain, however, the last report by the Children’s Rights Board included concerns from the public powers with regard to the rise in the number of victims of sexual abuse and exploitation, especially those as a result of the rapid increase in the use of the internet.

D.D.: At all the national and international congresses, people have stressed the importance of having diagnostic studies, but they are not available because of the difficulties involved in detecting victims and crimes. Sometimes, research is carried out by NGOs, but it is limited. ECPAT and UNICEF make estimates, and the ILO sometimes carries out wider ranging studies linked to child labour exploitation.

What do you think public opinion in Spain makes of CSEC?

A.C.: If there was more information and more education, there would be a better understanding of CSEC. For example, when we talk about child prostitution, everyone seems to be against it. But if we talk about a 17-year-old girl being prostituted, is that also deemed shameful? The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that a minor is anyone under the age of 18.

There have been reports that CSEC linked to sex tourism is on the rise, and that Spain is an ‘exporter’ of exploiters.

A.C.: Spain continues to be a country of origin, transit and destination for sex tourism. This can be seen, for example, in the US State Department’s Trafficking in People Report.

What subjects do you look at in the course on prevention of commercial sexual exploitation of children?

D.D.: It will be a specialisation course lasting between four and five months. It involves five modules: a general introduction, and modules on each the four types of CSEC: child prostitution, child sex tourism, child pornography, and handling and prostituting children linked to tourism. The target audience includes representatives from public administrations working with children, people working at NGOs linked to human rights, or professionals from the private sector who want to involve their companies in the fight against CSEC.