The lack of awareness on child sexual abuse/exploitation risks and offending behaviour within children and families results in child protection lagging behind developments, leading to continued vulnerability of children and communities being targeted by sex offenders. This project intends to provide awareness to 200 children and 100 parents/carers in 3 different communities in Battambang, Kampot & Kandal and will address an understanding of children and parents/carers on child sexual abuse.
Gathering accurate information on children at risk of sexual abuse/exploitation is hard, though research indicates it to be a serious issue. According to Cambodia's Violence against Children Survey 2014, 5.5% of Cambodian girls/boys aged 13 - 17 are affected by sexual violence; however, this may underestimate the extent of sexual abuse due to strong cultural stigmas and limited legal/social protection mechanisms. The lack of awareness on this issue also leads to children falling into victims.
This project aims to address an understanding of 200 at risk children (boys and girls aged 12 - 17, including those with disability) and 100 parents/carers (men and women, including those who are potential to migrate) on specific child sexual abuse/exploitation, incl. child sex tourism and child sexual exploitation online, through provision of 6 evidence-based awareness raising sessions organised for 3 communities in Cambodia that are identified vulnerable to child sexual abuse/exploitation.
The project will enable the selected children and parents/carers to stay safe, monitor, identify significant risks, report suspected incidents and engage with appropriate support mechanisms when needed. This project will also contribute to sustainable community-based child protection workforce and improve a long-standing culture of silence.
