Against sexual exploitation

Projects against sexual exploitation

Why we work

In Cambodia, the continuous increase in tourism is giving a boost the economy. According to statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, in the first ten months of 2008, there were 1.7 million tourists, a growth of 8.5% compared to the same period in 2007. With the increase in the number of tourists, the volume of sexual tourism also increases, something which continues to plague the most vulnerable members of Cambodian society.
Sexual tourism affecting children is extremely organised: instead of using hotels and bed & breakfasts as places for exploitation, the perpetrators rent private apartments. In addition, go-betweens contact children directly in the street or at the beach and take them to these apartments. This often happens at night-time in major tourist areas such as Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.

Our aims

The project is aiming at contributing to the fight to reduce sexual tourism towards children. Its aim is to increase tourists’ awareness to the problem of child sexual tourism and to work towards preventing child sexual exploitation and child prostitution.

How we work

Those benefiting from the project are 50 Tuk Tuk drivers, 10% of the general population, vulnerable children at risk of trafficking or sexual tourism, the Cambodian tourism industry, the 28 member organisations of ECPAT-Cambodia and ECPAT’s 10 secretariat operators.

Description of the projectThe project is implemented in collaboration with ECPAT-Cambodia (ECPAT: End of Child Prostitution Abuse and Trafficking), a coalition of 28 Cambodian NGOs involved in the fight against the exploitation of children for commercial gain, and hopes to spread a message to raise tourists’ awareness and the awareness of the general population to responsible tourism. The project is also aiming at strengthening the capacity of the coalition’s secretariat and individual members and
consolidating its role at a regional and national level.

The area of intervention includes 4 provinces – Kratie, Sihanoukville, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap – and the capital Phnom Penh

The project plans various specific activities. In particular:
•    Placing advertisements on tuk tuks (local rickshaws)
•    Putting advertising hoardings in strategic points
•    Organising shows in the four provinces for National Anti-Sexual Exploitation of Children day
•    Implementing training days and co-ordination meetings aimed at members of the coalition
•    Publishing periodical update journals and an annual report on the coalition’s activities.