Press Release No. G/23/00
29 June 2000
Asian Health, Social Service Providers Learn to Help Young Victims
of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation
Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- Health and social service providers from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines will meet in Nepal from 7-19 July 2000, for two weeks of training to enhance their knowledge and skills in meeting the physical, emotional and psychological needs of the rising number of sexually abused and sexually exploited children and youth in Asia.
ESCAP has conducted qualitative research to determine the health and social service needs of sexually abused and sexually exploited young people and the capacity of care providers to respond effectively to those needs. In many countries, the research was the first of its kind ever conducted.
Primary research found that there were virtually no specialized services available for young victims and, where services did exist, they focused solely on physical recovery, with almost no regard to the psychosocial care victims are desperately in need of.
Throughout Asia, the incidence of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and youth is on the rise. Greater local demand, the growth of the sex tourism industry and the persistence of poverty have all contributed to a rise in the number of young people who are victims of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.
However, despite its pervasiveness, the problem often remains hidden, leaving young victims without much needed support, according to research recently conducted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Young victims are at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, as well as many other physical ailments. But they are also faced with numerous social, psychological and emotional problems which are not being addressed.
To overcome this, ESCAP's Human Resources Development (HRD) Section has developed the "ESCAP HRD Course on Psychosocial and Medical Services for Sexually Abused and Sexually Exploited Children and Youth." The Course in Nepal is being organized by ESCAP in collaboration with World Education, Nepal, with the financial support of the Government of Japan.
The Course is being conducted in South Asia, as well as for the Greater Mekong Subregion, and is designed to increase the capacity of health and social service personnel to better assist young victims and support their recovery.
The Course focuses on the medical and psychosocial health needs of young victims, as well as the related problems of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Through this, a pool of competent health and social service personnel are being trained to provide the psychosocial services needed to support sexually abused and sexually exploited children and youth, and aid in their reintegration into society.
This pool of trained personnel will then be able to return to their own countries to train other health and social service providers, further expanding the services available to sexually abused and sexually exploited children and youth throughout the region.
The South Asian Subregional training course will begin on 7 July 2000 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal, and will continue for two weeks.
The Opening Session will commence at 09:00 on Friday, 7 July at the Shangri-La Hotel. The Media is welcome to attend.
For more information regarding the ESCAP Course or to find out more about the results of the research, please contact: Human Resources Development Section, Social Development Division, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Tel: (662) 288-1502, Fax: (662) 288-3031, E-mail: hrd-section.unescap@un.org. Alternatively you can find out more information on the ESCAP HRD web site at http://www.escap-hrd.org.
World Education, Nepal is also available to provide information, and can be reached at tel. no.: (977-1) 412-488, fax no.: (977-1) 415-303, e-mail: chij@mos.com.np.