ECPAT A report on the scale, scope and context of the sexual exploitation of children International ECPAT A report on the scale, scope and context of the sexual exploitation of children Table of contents This publication has been produced with the Acronyms 1 financial assistance of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), The Preface 2 Oak Foundation, Irish Aid, Terre des Hommes Executive Summary 3 Netherlands and the Hilton Prize Coalition. The views expressed herein are solely those of Introduction 4 ECPAT International. The support from these donors does not constitute endorsement of the The Context of the Sexual Exploitation opinions expressed. of Children in Viet Nam 7 International, Regional and National This publication was written by: Commitments and Legislation on the Adaiana Souza Lima Sexual Exploitation of Children 14 with assistance from: Andrea Varrella National Response to the Sexual Exploitation of Children 21 This report was also developed in collaboration with the Vietnam Association for Protection of Child, Victim and Survivor Participation 26 Child's Rights (VACR), the ECPAT Member in the Recommendations for Action 27 country. ECPAT International would like to thank Plan International Vietnam and CBM for their support in reviewing the report. Editorial assistance: Franseza Pardoe Extracts from this publication may be reproduced only with permission from ECPAT International and acknowledgment of the source and ECPAT International. A copy of the relevant publication using extracted material must be provided to ECPAT. © ECPAT International, 2018 Design and layout by: Manida Naebklang Published by: ECPAT International 328/1 Phaya Thai Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand Tel: +662 215 3388 |www.ecpat.org | [email protected] Acronyms ASEANAPOL Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Association of Chiefs of Police CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women CEFM Child, early and forced marriage CEOP Child Exploitation and Online Protection CPFC Committee for Population, Family and Children CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CRIN Child Rights International Network ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICT Information and Communications Technology INTERPOL International Criminal Police Organisation LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender MOLISA Ministry of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs MoU Memorandum of Understanding OCSE Online child sexual exploitation OPSC Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SEC Sexual exploitation of children SECTT Sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organization VACR Vietnam Association for Protection of Child’s Rights Country Overview: A report on the scale, scope and content of the sexual exploitation of children inVIET NAM 1 Preface Over a decade since the publication of its first provide well-organised information and research, Country Monitoring Reports (CMRs) on Sexual which can be used in preparing Alternative Reports Exploitation of Children, ECPAT International is and Additional Submissions to the Committee sharpening its monitoring efforts in order to better on the Rights of the Child and the Human Rights address and represent the evolving incidence and Council. existence of the sexual exploitation of children in the world today. The preparation of this report is based on a review of the literature available on sexual exploitation. Recent years have seen some unprecedented Drafts are shared with ECPAT members, relevant opportunities that have embedded the child’s right organisations, partners and local experts working to protection from sexual exploitation more deeply on the ground who review the content and into the global agenda, no more so than the global supplement the information with other local mandate to eliminate the sexual exploitation sources and analysis. of children (SEC) enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world ECPAT International greatly relies on the leaders in 2015. ECPAT International’s decision contributions of all those involved in producing to transform its Country Monitoring Reports these reports and would like to express its into more concise and targeted ECPAT Country profound appreciation for their invaluable inputs. Overviews on SEC will ensure a more effective tool This particular report addresses the different for advocacy at all levels and monitoring, including forms of sexual exploitation of children in Viet commitments made in the SDGs to end violence Nam. Exploitation of children in prostitution is against children in all its different forms by 2030. the prominent manifestation and online sexual exploitation of children appears to be on the rise. The report’s structure aims at providing a Viet Nam is speedily becoming a key destination comprehensive baseline of information on for sexual exploitation of children in travel and all manifestations of SEC in a country and an tourism. Child, early and forced marriages are still assessment of achievements and challenges occurring and they are closely connected with sale in implementing counteractions - including and trafficking of children. Whilst Viet Nam has the participation of children themselves - to recently amended its legislation to strengthen the eliminate SEC. They also suggest concrete priority legal framework to prevent and protect children actions urgently needed to proactively advance from sexual exploitation, the report highlights the the national fight against SEC and enable the fact that major gaps still remain. Viet Nam needs monitoring of the implementation of international to intensify its efforts in addressing the root causes instruments on child rights related to sexual of sexual exploitation and in ensuring children’s exploitation that have been ratified by the State. access to justice and reintegration. Furthermore, the ECPAT Country Overviews 2 Country Overview: A report on the scale, scope and content of the sexual exploitation of children inVIET NAM Executive Summary The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is located in the Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (OPSC), Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. After the as well as the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and implementation in the 1980s of a socialist-oriented Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women market economy called Doi Moi, the country and Children, supplementing the United Nations reached a lower middle-income status. However, Convention against Transnational Organized inequality has risen quickly in recent years, with Crime (Palermo Protocol). Moreover, the country for children coming from marginalised groups is part of a number of international and regional disproportionately having poorer social outcomes. commitments addressing SEC. Including exposure to different forms of violence, including sexual exploitation. At the national level, The Ministry of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) is responsible In Viet Nam, sexual exploitation of children (SEC) for the promotion and implementation of can take various forms and seems to be present children's rights. In terms of legislation, the all over the country; however, accurate estimates new Vietnamese Criminal Code came into of the number of child victims are difficult to force in January 2018. This strengthens child obtain due to the clandestine nature of this protection efforts in the country by specifying crime. The exploitation of children in prostitution and criminalising a broader array of SEC-related continues to be an issue due to the high demand conducts. However, major inconsistencies and for children, particularly virgin girls. Online child concerns remain in the national legislation, sexual exploitation (OCSE) is a growing concern in includinga legal definition of a child as a person Viet Nam, which manifests itself in different ways, under the age of 16. Key policy initiatives that including through child sexual abuse material and address SEC include the National Programme online grooming. Viet Nam is also a source country on Child Protection 2016-2020 and the National for child victims of trafficking for sexual purposes, Programme of Action for Children 2011-2020 and children from rural and remote areas are the which strengthen child protection systems in the most vulnerable to trafficking. Viet Nam is speedily country. becoming a key destination for perpetrators for the sexual exploitation of children in travel and With regard to prevention measures, the country tourism (SECTT), due to the tourism industry’s has put increasingly more effort intoraising impressive growth. Child, early and forced awareness and educating people on SEC-related marriages (CEFM) continue to be an issue, issues. The Vietnamese Justice system is evolving; particularly in the northern provinces (due to some however, more effort need to be made in order to harmful traditional practices) as well as through provide adequate access to justice and remedies the practice of cross-border marriage, particularly for child victims of sexual exploitation, including Vietnamese girls with Chinese man. child-friendly national complaint mechanism and effective and timely recovery and reintegration The country has ratified themain legal services. In terms of children’s participation, Viet instruments in the fight against SEC, including