Human Trafficking in [Vietnam] [other countries]
Street Children in [Vietnam] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Vietnam] [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Socialist Republic of Vietnam [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam occupies the eastern coastline of the Southeast Asian peninsula [map], and is bounded by China (N), by Laos and Cambodia (W), and by the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea (E & S). Its capital is Hanoi and the largest city is Ho Chi Minh City. While new opportunities and economic benefits for many Vietnamese people have improved, there are ever-increasing gaps between the rich and the poor, and between rural and urban populations. The poverty rate in urban areas half of the poverty rate in rural areas. Ethnic minorities have not shared in many of the benefits of the past decade's developments due to social and cultural divisions and a lack of knowledge about basic social services and information that promotes behavioral change. This is especially true in rural areas where living standards have improved at a much lower rate and where cash money is still scarce. Gender discrimination also continues to undermine the well being of women and their children.

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National Plan of Action

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

CHILDREN - Widespread poverty contributed to continued child prostitution, particularly of girls but also of some boys, in major cities. Many prostitutes in Ho Chi Minh City were under 18 years of age. Some child prostitutes, such as those from abusive homes, were forced into prostitution for economic reasons.

Some children were trafficked domestically, and others were trafficked to foreign destinations for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2003

[49] The Committee notes with concern that a significant proportion of sex workers are under the age of 18. Furthermore, it is concerned that, although the State party recognizes trafficking in children to be a significant problem, the number of officially reported cases is very low.

Ghana: Rescuing the Child Prostitute, Whose Responsibility?

RESEARCH FINDINGS - Also in Thailand, NGOs have estimated that up to a third of prostitutes are children under 18. A study by the International Labour Organization on child prostitution in Vietnam again reported that incidence of children in prostitution is steadily increasing and children under 18 make up between 5 percent and 20 percent of prostitution depending on the geographical area.

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

[B] COUNTRY UPDATES – VIETNAM – Three plans incorporating CSEC already exist in the country. These are: the National Plan of Action to Protect Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances, the new National Program of Action for Children for 2001-2010, which includes the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation, and the National Programme of Action against Prostitution for 2001-2005.

Vietnam Action Plan

Vietnam encourages the participation of international agencies such as UNICEF and local NGOs to work with local-level child protection networks to protect and prevent Vietnamese children from being trafficked to China, Cambodia and other countries in the region. Information about commercial and sexual exploitation of women and children is also regularly disseminated through newspapers and TV. Workshops have been organized with the aim of preventing sexual abuse and child prostitution, and government personnel participated in these workshops.

Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

At the moment, the sexual abuse and exploitation of children continues to be a considerably under-reported offence. One reason for that is the lack of experience dealing with this issue. Though its Government has started to seriously look at the issue and have an explicit or coherent policy to combat it, as yet, the Government has not introduced any program to help victims prepare for their return and reintegration.

Viet Nam children in prostitution in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho: a rapid assessment

This Rapid Assessment provides some insight into the situation of young people involved in prostitution in Viet Nam. The bulk of the information is based on interviews with 122 children, with brothel owners and with pimps. The report more generally provides in depth understanding of the issues of children in prostitution.

The Modern Scourge of Sex Slavery

[Photo Caption] Cambodian policeman escorts 11-year-old Vietnamese girl from brothel in Toul Kork red-light district of Phnom Penh: Six girls from 11-13 years of age were rescued from brothel that offered only young children. Trafficked from Vietnam, children were rescued during sting operation involving Cambodian Interpol and local police, led by End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking (ECPAT)

Street Kids Wear Scars Of Abuse

Many children, girls particularly, abandoned by their parents, or tricked into taking jobs under false pretenses, end up abused, begging, and often forced into prostitution.

Sister's Love Reaches Out To Street Children Of Vietnam

In Ho Chi Minh City alone there are an estimated 25,000 children living on the streets. Many of these children get caught up in the underworld of drugs and prostitution as they move into the bigger cities. The high unemployment and overpopulation in rural areas forced many families to migrate to the big cities, leading to the break-up of families with the resulting loss of role models for the children. In some cases children ended up being 'sold' or abandoned. 'They sleep on the streets and become scavengers, beggars, shoe-shiners, market laborers, carriers, dishwashers and prostitutes,' Sister Franklin said.

China, Vietnam Cooperate to Halt Human Trafficking

The trafficking of girls over the Vietnam-China border has been a problem since the two countries normalized relations in 1989. In recent years evidence indicates that the girls have been getting younger and more are being sold into prostitution, rather than as wives as in the past.

Desperation Up Close

It came down to this: these five- to 10-year-old girls, instead of playing with dolls or learning to read, were being raped so adults could make a living. As the father of two daughters, I couldn’t fathom the kind of desperation that would prompt a parent to send a child into this situation. - htcp

Radio Singapore International: Vietnam: Child Prostitution

Nyung, which means rabbit in Vietnamese, worked as a child prostitute since the age of 12. A daughter of one of Vietnam’s university’s cook, she was the pride of her father, because she was able to earn more than anyone else in the neighborhood, working as a child prostitute.

Child Prostitution Starting To Appear In Vietnam

Christine Beddoe, tourism program director for international group End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking (ECPAT) Australia, said there was credible evidence to suggest foreign child sex tourists were active in Vietnam. ``There is really strong anecdotal evidence coming from Hoi An where it appears foreign females are abusing underage boys,'' she said. Beddoe added that the northern mountain resort of Sapa was also being repeatedly mentioned from different sources who remark on child sex abuse mostly with young girls from the Hmong ethnic minority.

Child Prostitution

Nyung, which means rabbit in Vietnamese, worked as a child prostitute since the age of 12. A daughter of one of Vietnam’s university’s cook, she was the pride of her father, because she was able to earn more than anyone else in the neighbourhood, working as a child prostitute. While the story of Nyung’s may shock you, it’s a true account.

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Human Trafficking in [Vietnam] [other countries]
Street Children in [Vietnam] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Vietnam] [other countries]