- Girls, boys and adolescents who are unaware of their sexual rights may be more vulnerable to being victims of sexual violence.
- One in five minors is sexually abused before the age of 17: WHO.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) one in five minors suffers sexual abuse before reaching the age of 17. Sexual abuse affects girls and boys of all ages and social groups, therefore, it is necessary to reinforce self-care strategies in the family nucleus, generate relationships of trust, establish healthy limits regarding contact with other people, not generate spaces for secrets, safe use of social networks, among others.
Through the internet television channel Ollin.Tv, The initiative Weaving Childhood Nets for Latin America and the Caribbean carried out the Webinar How to make sexual violence against children visible? under the moderation of Juan Martín Pérez García, Regional Coordinator of the Initiative. "Sexual violence against children is present in our environments, unfortunately little is said and little is reported, particularly when it occurs in family contexts"Juan Martín Pérez mentioned.
Nora Schulman of the Argentine Committee for Follow-up and Application of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (MARRIAGE) in Argentina, he recalled that one of the greatest challenges is located in the judicial sphere, since the complaints of underage victims remain unheard because they are not believed, giving more value to the voice of adults.
For his part, Nelson Rivera of the Fundación Renacer, Colombia said that child sexual abuse has multiple faces such as harassment through digital media, prostitution, child pornography and ancestral practices such as genital mutilation in girls, situations that are aggravated in armed conflicts and in rural areas with little access to information. "An educational and cultural revolution is needed that recognizes childhood as subjects of rights", He said.
Izmir of the Dominican Republic, representative of children and youth, pointed out that talking about Comprehensive Sex Education, as a measure to prevent child sexual abuse, is still a taboo subject, and even prohibited in his country and about which little is said. in family. "We girls and boys have chosen to investigate everything online, but we also need the guidance and accompaniment of adults, when our doubts have not been clarified".
It is necessary to break with macho cultural practices that give rise to forms of sexual violence, particularly against women and girls, placing them in a situation of use and lack of protection. "Fortunately, women and girls in feminist movements in the world have achieved a lot, young men already recognize the need to make other forms of relationship and human equivalence", Juan Martín Pérez referred.
The next challenge when talking about child sexual violence is to strengthen families so that it stops being a matter of secrecy and openly talks about Comprehensive Sexual Education. It is necessary to inform, identify the forms of sexual violence, strengthen complaint mechanisms, accompany and above all believe the victims, in addition to training the authorities who receive complaints; improve public prevention policies, legislative frameworks, and law enforcement systems, experts agreed.
For Nelson Rivera, child sexual violence must also be approached from mental health, the construction of desire and the relationship and interaction with others, educating not to make use of others, when we cannot satisfy our bonds in a healthy way.
Families play a fundamental role, since training is also required so that mothers, fathers and guardians know how to identify signs or symptoms of sexual abuse and have tools to know how to act in a case. Nora Schulman, recalled that adults are responsible for building safe and trusting spaces for children.
Esmira Beltre recommended to parents and guardians the importance of talking with children about their bodies and their safety, avoiding placing those who are victims of sexual violence in a situation of fear, ignorance and insecurity.
Finally, Juan Martín Pérez acknowledged that progress has been made little by little, but it is still not enough. Taking as an example the approval of the Olimpia Law in Mexico that punishes with prison anyone who disseminates intimate content without consent, I invite you to consult the information available on the site: Stop sextortion.
To talk about sexual violence in schools, the Initiative Weaving Childhood Networks invites you to follow the next episode of the Webinar #NuestroFuturo en la Era Covid-19 next Thursday, June 3 10:00 SV, GT / 11:00 MX, CO, EC / 12:00 BO / 13:00 CL, ARG, UY / 18:00 ES through the platforms of Ollin.Tv
Watch the full broadcast of this event is available on the YouTube channel of Ollin.Tv Subscribe!
About:
Ollin.TV is an Internet television channel created as part of Weaving Childhood Nets in Latin America and the Caribbean an initiative co-financed by the European Union, which seeks to contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of a platform for the defense of children and adolescents in 20 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of Children's Rights Mexico AC / Weaving Childhood Networks and in no case should it consider that it reflects the views of the European Union.
Press contact: Alejandra Gallardo / [email protected]