Holy See urges fight against sexual exploitation

March 08, 2013 - The sexual exploitation of women and children must be recognized as an intrinsic violation of human dignity and human rights, and must be fought not only with legislation but also by combatting unhealthy and immature sexual desires that fuel the consumerist culture. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, made the observation on Thursday at the 22nd Session of the Human Rights Council. He was addressing a special meeting on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Vatican representative cited UN figures of last year saying people trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor came from at least 136 different nationalities and have been found in 118 countries. Nearly 60% were women and the percentage of children was growing at an alarming rate. 58% of trafficking cases were for sexual exploitation. Archbishop Tomasi pointed out that the low risk involved in sexual exploitation of children generates high profits for traffickers, and child trafficking exists because there is a demand that degrades human beings to commodities. He urged for implementing legislation that criminalizes the consumption of child pornography or the sexual abuse of a child. He said that prevention should also address the consumerist culture that stimulates and promotes the unhealthy and immature sexual desires that drive “consumers” to this market. If the understanding of individual freedom rejects the ethical boundaries imposed by nature itself, the trafficking of persons and the violation of their innate dignity will continue to occur, and the action of the State will be ineffective. The Holy See’s Permenent Ovbservere also told the Human Rights Council to fight this scourge of human trafficking by addressing the root causes that make people vulnerable, such as, persistent economic crisis, wars and civil conflicts, high prices of food, famine, abject poverty and migration and political upheavals. Furthermore, he also called for urgent attention and action in providing support to survivors and help them for a productive life free of traumas.