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Child
Prostitution The
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Resources
for Teachers |
[ Country-by-Country
Reports | Additional Teacher
Resources ]
An Educational Strategy to Combat Child Prostitution
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“Child prostitution” means the use of a minor in sexual activities for remuneration of any kind. This includes food, housing, drugs and other commodities, as well as intangibles such as approval or care. It is an age-old problem that is still prevalent in both developed and developing countries despite attempts to control the practice. Like all societal problems, child prostitution may yield somewhat to a well-thought-out, carefully planned effort by dedicated leaders. One element in a long-term solution will come through education. The application of this strategy here calls for the development of sets of teaching/research tools that are suitable for use by teachers beginning at the middle school level. The website at http://www.gvnet.com/childprostitution offers the foundation for such a set of resources and can be used to facilitate inclusion of the topic, The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, into school curricula in graduated increments. The strategy depends upon (indeed, encourages) replication. The 'how-to’s are clearly spelled out in lesson plans, essay questions, and debate topics. In addition, some assistance is provided with the preparation of lectures via a set of background articles, anecdotes and the beginnings of a treasury of images. Long-term sustainability is assured. Once the subject of Child Prostitution is brought into the classroom, it will be adapted and refined by the thousands of talented educators who will be teaching it. That is just the nature of things in the educational community. Broad-scale
awareness achieved through the education of two or three generations is the
surest way to induce long-term, systemic change. An enlightened society, broadly aware of
the scale and ramifications of the tragedy of children who engage in
prostitution, will not allow this practice to continue. Prof. Martin Patt Professor
Emeritus University of
Massachusetts - Lowell |