During the UNESCO Peace Concert which was held last week at an international school in Bangkok, where I also had a book signing of The Ironman. A Play, the organizers also wanted to raise awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children. To do that, a series of speeches by Thai students were delivered in front of the audience and representative from ECPAT were invited to interact with concertgoers.
There are hundreds of thousands of women and children (mostly from Burma, Laos and Cambodia) who have been sold into Thailand’s sex industry. Well-documented cases and articles in the local and international mass media attest to this and quite a few Thailand-based organizations which fight for the right of children have been set up.
ECPAT stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes. It is basically a network of organizations and individuals from over 75 countries who work together to stop the commercial sexual exploitation of children around the world. They also have an office in Thailand and ECPAT has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC).
The process of trafficking has three main stages, the first one involving the recruitment of the child or young person who is persuaded to leave their home or community, usually overcrowded slums on the outskirts of cities. Sometimes they are taken against their will, or are tricked or deceived into going by promises of a better life, or are even sold by their families who are in extreme poverty.
The second stage is the transport of the victim, which can involve a number of journeys during which the child or young person is kept hidden. On several occasions, to avoid discovery, the victims are forced to travel in dangerous and uncomfortable ways.
In the third stage, the destination, the victims arrive at the final place where they will be exploited. It is now that the child and young person realize that they have been tricked and it is here where the ordeal and the mental and physical trauma will begin and continue, in some cases, for years on.
In cases when the victims mange to escape or are saved by the authorities they will need assistance which typically includes: physical and health care; psychological support; re-teaching of social and life skills; and providing educations and vocational training. Also, having in mind that most trafficked children are from Thailand’s poorer neighboring countries, political care is also needed to insure that their rights are upheld and that they have proper legal identity papers.
But the fight to end trafficking doesn’t have to be left alone in the hands of the authorities and local and international NGOs. You can also get involved. Here are a few ways you can contribute:
– spread the word about trafficking by talking to friends and family;
– take action by writing letters to your government asking it to do more and by signing petitions that fight for the improvement of child protection laws;
– join a local organization or even start your own project;
– speak out and raise your community’s awareness by talking at gatherings, posting flyers, or writing articles on blogs and forums.
If you want to find out more about ECPAT Thailand visit their website (search the word “Thailand” in their search box) or contact Ms. Katesanee Chantrakul, the country’s representative, at ecpattk[at]loxinfo[dot]co[dot]th.
