Dont lose! Campaign against commercial sexual exploitation in Poland and Ukraine

During big sport events children are more at risk of commercial sexual exploitation due to increased inflow of tourists, feeling of anonymity of offenders in a foreign country and organised crime activity.

Nobody's Children Foundation in Poland and Child Well- being Fund in Ukraine are running educational campaign on the issue of threats associated with commercial sexual exploitation faced by children and youth. The aim of the campaign is to limit the problem by making children and youth more aware of possible threats, increasing knowledge and competences of professionals responsible for child protection and discouraging adults from undertaking commercial sexual contacts with teenagers. The campaign in Poland and in Ukraine is being implemented under honorary patronage of governmental institutions, such as Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education, Police and Border Guard. In Poland the campaign is implemented in the framework of the governmental programme "Safer Together". Commercial sexual exploitation means sexual abuse of a child by an adult with transfer or promise of transfer of some form of remuneration to a child or third persons. Convention on the Rights of the Child states that a child is a person below the age of 18.

Along with an inflow of national and foreign football fans and tourists the risk of commercial sexual exploitation of children might be on the rise. The feeling on anonymity, eagerness to enjoy the time of championship and unawareness of legal regulations protecting children might cause increase in cases of sexual contacts with minors in exchange for gifts or money. Large numbers of tourists encourages activity of organized crime groups involved in child trafficking and exploitation in the form of prostitution. Moreover, big sport events attract youth looking for adventure and meeting new people, but unaware of existing dangers and ways of avoiding them.

Commercial sexual exploitation is a form of abuse that affects girls and boys. Some children are particularly susceptible to this form of exploitation, some of them due to lack of adequate care and previously experienced violence or neglect. However the main factor sustaining the occurrence of commercial sexual exploitation is demand created by adults interested in having sex with minors.

There are children who initiate sexual contacts with adults in exchange for some form of remuneration. The reason for this is can be peer pressure, materialistic values they are surrounded with, search for new experiences which make them feel important and attractive. Sometimes they are not able to predict consequences of their actions and recognize true intentions of adults. It is worth remembering, that a person who looks like an adult may actually be a child, with whom sexual contacts are forbidden.

Establishing sexual relations, including commercial ones, with minor below the age of 15 in Poland and minor below the age of 16 in Ukraine is illegal. According to article 200 of Polish Criminal Code sexual contact with a person below the age of 15 is punishable with up to 12 years of imprisonment. According to article 199, a person who leads a minor below the age of 18 do have a sexual contact in exchange of material of personal benefit can receive a punishment of up to 5 years of imprisonment.

Polish Criminal Code also refers to criminal responsibility of those involved in procuring or gaining profit from prostitution of minors.

Read more about "Don't loose campaign in Poland.