Plan International and Unicef: Parents use their daughters for their financial gain
Plan International and Unicef again are stressing the troubling situation of sexual exploitation that affects children in the southern border provinces. A recent study, “Invisible under the sun: A look at the sexual exploitation of boys, girls and teenagers in the Enriquillo Region”, reveals that 50.9% of those under 21 years in the region have already had sex. Of that percentage, 26.8% told pollsters they had done so with a person at least 10 years older, 11% said they did so at least once for money or another retribution, and 76% had had sex at least once in the past 12 months. These statistics are above national averages.
The poll is part of the project “Adding up efforts: Prevention of sexual exploitation of boys, girls and teenagers in the country.”
The poll also revealed that 48.6% of women 20 to 49 years had been in cohabitation before their 18th birthday, and 17% before their 15th birthday.
Rosa Elcarte, representative in the Dominican Republic for Unicef, said the authorities need to do better to care and prevent victims of sexual abuse. She said the present efforts are insufficient.
The provinces in the Enriquillo Region are Pedernales, Independencia, Barahona and Bahoruco.
Most cases in the south occur in the poorest communities, where parents use their girls as an economic asset, said ElCarte. She said then the girl is marked for life.
Plan International’s program manager, Silvio Minier, says that the sexual exploitation of children “is a form of violence, a violation of their rights and ironically a preventable crime”. She defined as causes the patriarchal culture and gender inequality.
Both entities recommend the “promoting public policies of prevention, involving private companies, especially the tourism sector, communities and adolescents themselves in the construction of protective environments, promoting the reduction of social tolerance and increased persecution of this crime.”
Source: DR1, Elcaribe
April 25, 2018
Category: DR News |