Child pornography, sex tourism, child prostitution, early marriage, child trafficking. These are all facets of what many call the “modern form of slavery”, the commercial sexual exploitation of children, or CSEC. This phenomenon is often perceived as affecting mainly poor countries. Yet it is a problem that is independent of geography, culture or religion. As such, Canada appears to be a country of origin, transit and destination for CSEC.
In this issue of Les Cahiers de PV, AQPV looks at the issue from a number of angles:
- The state of international and national law;
- Causes and processes leading to exploitation;
- The rights and remedies available to victims;
- The different aspects of rehabilitation;
- The influence of new technologies;
- Awareness-raising tools;
- Best practices” here and elsewhere.
The dossier also presents the organizations and protagonists involved in helping victims and combating CSEC. The fight against CSEC is all the more complex because the phenomenon is clandestine, making it difficult to grasp its full scope. And it’s all the more important given the consensus in the literature and among those working in the field that CSEC is a growing problem.