Human Trafficking in [the Slovak Republic] [other countries]
Street Children in [the Slovak Republic] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [the Slovak Republic] [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Slovak Republic (Slovakia) [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

Slovakia or the Slovak Republic [map] is located in central Europe and is bordered by the Czech Republic (W), by Austria (SW), by Hungary (S), by Ukraine (E), and by Poland (N). Bratislava is the capital. Slovakia became an independent nation on Jan. 1, 1993, when Czechoslovakia was dissolved. Despite its modern European economy and society, Slovakia has a significant rural element. About 45% of Slovaks live in villages of less than 5,000 people, and 14% in villages of less than 1,000.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Slovak Republic. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false. No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - Girls from Slovakia are trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and Slovakia is a country of origin, transit and a destination country for such victims of trafficking. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has expressed concerns over several issues related to children. In particular, the transit of trafficked children through Slovakia for the purpose of pornography, prostitution and sex tourism has drawn attention to the need for protecting children. Insufficient data and awareness of the phenomenon of the commercial sexual exploitation of children persist.

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

CHILDREN - Child prostitution is prohibited. Community workers reported it was a problem in Romani settlements with the worst living conditions. During the year there were no reported cases of trafficking in children.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2000

[49] In line with the observation of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography, the Committee is concerned that Slovakia has become a transit country for the transport of children for pornography, prostitution and sex tourism. The Committee is also concerned at reports that commercial sexual exploitation, particularly involving Russian and Ukrainian girls, is increasing and at the generally insufficient data on and awareness about the phenomenon of commercial sexual exploitation of children in Slovakia.

ECPAT: Fifth Report on implementation of the Agenda for Action [DOC]

[B] COUNTRY UPDATES – SLOVAK REPUBLIC – The Committee recommended that Slovakia undertake a national study on CSEC that would analyze the nature and extent of the problem and serve as a basis for designing appropriate measures. It also recommended a number of specific actions including awareness raising campaigns to sensitize the general public on the child's right to protection from sexual exploitation; strengthening cooperation with authorities abroad; establishing rehabilitation programs and shelters for victims of CSEC; and training personnel working with child victims.

Report by Special Rapporteur [DOC]

[64] The sale and trafficking of children is a criminal offence under the Criminal Code.  Prostitution is not a criminal offence, but the Criminal Code penalizes anyone who procures prostitutes and if the offence involves children under the ages of 18 and 15, respectively, the Criminal Code assigns two stricter penalties accordingly.

Children in Street Prostitution - Report from the German-Czech Border [DOC]

THE VICTIMS - The 40 children and young people who were interviewed for the study come from socially disadvantaged families in the regions of West-Bohemia, North-Bohemia, South-Bohemia and Slovakia. Their parents are mostly unemployed, many of them are drug and/or alcohol addicts, some of them are in prison. The children stand out because of their neglected appearance; they only rarely attend school, and it is their daily occupation to assure the income of their family. The children interviewed spoke only reluctantly about their families. Many of them were raped or sexually abused before they became involved in commercial sexual exploitation.

Country Information - Slovakia

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN IN TOURISM - Sexual exploitation of children by tourists represents a considerable problem in Slovakia. The victims are not only children from Slovakia, but also increasingly girls from Russia and the Ukraine. Slovak children are smuggled by well-organized professional trafficking gangs to various western European countries, to the Czech Republic and to Japan, where they are sexually abused and exploited. Slovakia is also a stopping place where children from Soviet Union and the Balkan states are passed over to other gangs who organize their further transport.

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Human Trafficking in [the Slovak Republic] [other countries]
Street Children in [the Slovak Republic] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [the Slovak Republic] [other countries]