Online Program

Panel Discussion

The most vulnerable sector of the global population are our children and as such the United Nations (UN) has well defined their globally recognized rights (UN, 1989). The International Labour Organization (ILO) states that the most horrifying instances of human rights violations are when children are sexually exploited for commercial gain, profit, or trade in kind (ILO, 2012). This global tragedy occurs not only in developing nations, but in all nations of the world including the United States (US) (ECPAT, 2011; ILO, 2012; WCCSEC, 1996) The ILO defines CSEC as “the sexual exploitation by an adult of a child or adolescent below 18 years of age that involves a transaction in cash or kind to the child or to one or more third parties” (ILO, 2012). ECPAT adds to the definition of CSEC by stating that “CSEC consists of criminal practices that demean, degrade, and threaten the physical and psychosocial integrity of children” (ECPAT, 2011). ECPAT opines that there are three key and interrelated forms of CSEC: child prostitution, child pornography, and child trafficking for sexual purposes. ECPAT adds to this that there are other forms of CSEC such as child sexual tourism, child marriages, and forced marriage that further contribute to the global pandemic (ECPAT, 2011). The ILO states that CSEC is the single worst form of child labor and is the worst form of human rights violation (ILO, 2012). Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is an ongoing horrific human rights violation that is the third largest criminal enterprise on the planet and occurs on a global pandemic scale (ECPAT, 2011; ILO, 2012; WCCSEC, 1996). It is estimated that more than 1.5 million children are working in the child sex trade and that over 3 million children are exploited every year. This is a global pandemic and a tragic violation of child civil rights and too many nations are turning a blind eye and ignoring the problem. This session will review the global, USA, and local issues surrounding CSEC and what can be done to turn the tide.

Session Objectives: Describe the state of CSEC globally and within the USA. Evaluate rapidly rising prevalence of CSEC and abuse of children. Access the impact of CSEC to children's population health status. Evaluate the historical, current, and future role of epidemiology in the assessment, public health policy formulation, and assurance initiatives associated with CSEC. Discuss the available epidemiological data sources, retrospective and prospective, for the assessment, policy making and assurance in CSEC. Identify of needed initiatives producing accurate evidence generation, effective public health policy, efficacious interventions, and appropriate program evaluation and monitoring of CSEC globally and within the USA.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)