Protest against Sexual Exploitation of Children

An estimated 1.2 Million children are trafficked every year for sexual exploitation.

Over 70,000 New Zealanders are calling for children and young people to be given the protection they deserve from sexual exploitation here and abroad.

At 12:30pm on the 16th of August, a petition bearing the signatures of over 70,000 New Zealanders will be presented to Hon Simon Power, Minister of Justice on the steps of Parliament.

The petition is part of a global call to action by The Body Shop® and ECPAT in over 60 countries around the world. In September 2011 the global petition bearing over 6.7 million signatures will be presented to the United Nations in Geneva to bring further attention to the prevention of sexual exploitation of children through child prostitution, child pornography and child trafficking.

THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE AFFECTING CHILDREN ABROAD, CHILD PROSTITUTION AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ARE OF SERIOUS CONCERN IN NEW ZEALAND:

•In the first year of operation the Digital Child Exploitation Filter System operated by the Department of Internal Affairs identified over 4 million clicks by New Zealanders trying to access illegal child sex abuse images on the Internet. This is expected to increase to as high as 50,000 clicks a day.

•Jan 2011: A 35 year old Wellington man was found to have 50,000 pornographic images of young girls on his computer after covertly accessing images of young girls for 10 years without being detected – 3 of the victims were found and removed from their home.

•Feb: 2011 a Global paedophile ring stretched to NZ. Globally 670 suspects, 184 arrests and 234 child victims, including 3 New Zealand boys with another 16 at risk.

•Feb 2011: An 18 year old man was found to have more than 21,000 pictures and 2,300 movies showing young children being sexually abused

•March 2011: 63 year old man was found with more than 100 Pornography images on his computer.

•June 2011: Ministry of Justice reports last year that girls as young as 11 were selling sex on Auckland Streets.

The New Zealand petition asks the New Zealand Government to take stronger action in protecting children and young people in our own country from sexual exploitation.

Specifically, it calls for awareness raising and education of our children, prevention measures, capacity building for law enforcers in this area and specialised services to adequately meet the needs and rights of all vulnerable children and victims of these heinous crimes. In addition it calls for the ratification of the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The New Zealand Government signed the optional protocol in 2000 but is yet to ratify it.

This Optional Protocol obliges nations to pass laws within their own territories against offenders, ‘punishable by appropriate penalties that take into account their grave nature.’

Help us prevent the sexual exploitation of children here and abroad. On the steps of Parliament at 12:30pm on the 16th of August.

For over twenty years The Body Shop, have demonstrated a commitment to raising awareness and calling for change on many important social and environmental issues. Their campaign philosophy is based on the belief that change will only come when decision makers are informed and inspired to act in ways which deliver long lasting, permanent solutions.

ECPAT Child ALERT is part of the ECPAT International network of agencies in over 70 countries around the world working to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.

ENDS

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