PRESS Statement, Berlin
(September 19, 2002)
Father Shay Cullen
Father Shay Cullen
Preda Centre for Children's Rights Olongapo City. Philippines.
preda@info.com.ph www.preda.org
PEACE
As we constantly work to bring peace in the world in our communities
families and our inner selves we need to recognize that, peacemaking is
more than ceasefires and diplomatic negotiations Peace is more than the
absent of violence. Peace is possible when the truth about the root
causes of violence injustice exploitation is exposed, and accepted by an
offender who has a change of heart and offers recompense and is
acceptable to the victims of violence and injustice. Then the healing of
the wounds can begin and forgiveness is possible. Then non-violent
pursuit of justice is a healing process especially for children who are
the victims of sexual abuse and sex tourism
Causes of Violence the best way to help
Violence casts aside peace and harmony in communities and in individuals
and violence begets violence frequently has its roots in the personal
history and experience of individuals who are the victims of physical,
psychological or sexual violence and exploitation. The urge to respond
to fears and insecurities and to retaliate by violence and threats of
mayhem and carnage is symptomatic of a disturbed personality It is
characterized by a unrelenting urge to inflict revenge and extract
vengeance by threats and acts of war and even what is called terrorism.
Sexual violence is power over the weak more than sexual pleasure.
The sexual abuse of children is one of the most damaging and long lasting
traumas. Many do not overcome or survive it is a root cause of severely
disturbed personalities Victims feel emotionally hurt Deep seated
feelings of rejection, worthlessness guilt loss of dignity and self
esteem turn into anger frustration pain. and if untreated turns to
hatred. of parents other children or society. These traumatized people
bury their pain and internalize the injustice and hurt. Untreated it
grows more intense with time and surface in later years and create
people of violence who abuse and indiscriminately seek revenge on others
either against authority figures and symbols of exploitation and
oppression. At times the disturbed victims of sexual violence violate
others. weaker than themselves.
3 girls in every 10 are sexually abused.
In Germany three in every ten girls are said to be sexually abused
according to a report from a doctor in Aachen Another estimate says one
in every seven boys experience sexual abuse. While the majority of
victims remain silent and endure the humiliation and suffer in silence
rather than expose their abuser who frequently a parent or relative.
Others they carry the burden throughout life. THE MAJORITY ARE BRAVE
SURVIVORS AND find Coping measures and go on to
Sex tourism is THE COMMERCIALIZED ABUSE OF CHILDREN: is it
estimated to be the third largest illegal money earning industry in the
world after arms and drug dealing. Billions of euros are generated by
this trade selling sex with children Millions of young boys and girls as
young as I I years old are abducted, seduced sold or enslaved into
prostitution around the world yearly The trafficking in children for
commercial sex is mostly from Easter Europe these day, Stricter
enforcement of child protection laws the lewd fantasy of exotic sex
encounters with young virgins free from AIDS is drawing thousands of
single male tourists to
South East Asia Africa and sought America. In August 2001 it was reported
that Un troops Dutch, Slovenia and Italian in Eritrea were sexually
abusing children as young nine years old LTN workers in refugee camps
were offering food for sex with the starving children. Unicef estimates
two million children worldwide are prostituted in the Philippines as
many as 100,000 children are sold to sex tourists both local and foreign
for as little as Euro 3O
Social causes
Poverty created by government corruption, the worst effects of
globalization, devaluation of currencies and crippling foreign debt
drives families to migrate to city slums. There they children become
street beggars, recruited by the pimps and sold to brothels or street
side sex tourists and paedophiles. The children abused in the home or
neighbourhood and left unhealed run away and suffer a similar fate.
Corruption of police, prosecutors and hotel and bar operators also
contribute to the crimes against children. The children enslaved have to
give sexual gratification to as many as five or ten customers a night.
The contract HIV-Aids TB, hepatitis and STDS. when diseased and useless
thy are returned to the streets There boys and girls turn to petty crime
and a re jailed and most of them illegally and the rights violated, In
the Philippines alone there are an estimated 20,000 in Prison. Some are
jailed for being homeless. Or sniffing chemicals that alter the brain
ands presses hunger. The prison conditions are at times subhuman and
stepchildren are frequently jailed with adult criminals. They are again
sexually abused by the inmates and even the guards.
Death squads in Philippine cities and towns such as Davie and Digs in
Mindanao are notorious for death squads that kill minors on the streets
that are being sold as sex objects or merely homeless and abandoned and
others publicly named by city officials on television.
The international child sex tourism has its very own web based advertising
agency The child pornography industry Thousands of lewd pictures of
little child in sexual encounters with adults are bought and sold
through the servers of multinational telecommunications In turn the
transactions are in this vile and evil trade are aided and supported by
the globalize credit card companies. Just open an web site with child
pornography and you will see there the logo of your own credit card
company Visa Express or Master card. These companies do not deny it the
deny approval of such use and express concern. Yet tea earn huge profits
from the trade in child sexual abuse.
The Preda Children's rights centre Olongapo city Philippines
(www.preda.org) E-mail preda@svisp.com was established to work for the
protection of Filipino child against all forms of exploitation and abuse
and t fight for the dignity of the Filipino people who are exploited by
corrupt officials and the international sex mafia led incur city by a
German national with links to convicted drug traffickers. A man
suspected of criminal activity in Germany and ordered charged by the
Philippine Government.
P.R.E.D.A. (People's Recovery Empowerment, Development Assistance
Foundation) has campaigned against such international sexual violence
against children since 1974 PREDA provides public education, therapeutic
and legal assistance to abused children, poverty alleviation through
economic development projects export of handicrafts and dried fruits
like Mango from village communities to the EU. a Jail rescue team, finds
and rescues child from prison and we engage in political lobbying in the
Philippines and Germany to improve the conditions of children and
implement the rule of law bringing paedophiles to justice.
We recommend:
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The German Government in aid of legislation increase research on the responsibility and legal liability of corporations that carry child pornography on their servers
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To hold credit card companies liable for prosecution in Germany who knowingly allow their services to be used for illegal trading of child pornography.
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Assist the child protection NGO in cooperation with the Philippine Government in the training of prosecutors and public lawyers to defend abused and imprisoned children.
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To assist in the procurement of educational pamphlets on the rights of the child and the rights of detained minors and due process
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To pursue identified German suspects in the Philippines and in Germany with links to sex tourism and the trafficking of young women and drug dealing.
