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Sexual violence and abuse
Sexual violence occurs everywhere in society – in the home, in communities, in schools and work places, in public spheres and in institutions.
Sexual violence is commonly understood as one or several of the following actions: rape, incest, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, forced prostitution, female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual slavery, child abuse images, grooming for sexual purposes and trafficking for sexual exploitation. Also child marriage goes under this definition. Sexual violence is a form of gender-based violence which refers to violence that targets individuals or groups on the basis of their gender. It has been widely acknowledged that the majority of persons affected by gender-based violence are women and girls.
Sexual violence and gender-based violence has also become very common in conflicts and emergencies like natural disasters and their aftermath. It is perpetrated against girls and boys when there is no rule of law and is exacerbated by a culture of impunity. In some cases, sexual violence has been used as a tactic of war designed to humiliate and exterminate a whole population or ethnic group, force them to displace or simply to destroy their social fabric. Unfortunately, sexual violence and abuse is also quite common after the major crisis is finished. When in relief camps it is easy for people to abuse their power and ask for sexual favours in exchange for basic necessities.
The effects of sexual abuse are devastating. Survivors are vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies, psychological trauma, to the spread of HIV and AIDS, and other diseases. It can tear families and communities apart and increase maternal and child mortality rates. Girls and boys who report sexual violence are often not listened to or are even blamed for the violence they experience. Though the majority of children affected are girls, boys are also sexually abused and exploited. Girls and boys are more vulnerable to sexual violence due to gender discrimination, traditional cultural practices, perceptions of masculinity, and unequal power relations between adults and children.
Children face sexual exploitation by people who have an emotional or professional relationship with the child and who exploit their position of trust and power. Children are also sexually exploited by abusers or third parties with commercial or other exploitative interests.
In ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child, states have committed themselves to protecting all children under the age of 18 from all forms of sexual violence.
Save the Children’s work to end sexual violence includes provision of age and gender-sensitive response services for girls and boys, advocacy work addressing national laws and policies, promoting online safety and prevent child marriages and female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM). Since gender norms perpetuates sexual and gender based violence it is important to challenge these, and to work separately with boys and men, alongside girls and women.
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Child Abuse and The Holy See. The need for justice, accountability and reform
Child Rights International Network (CRIN) has released a preliminary report documenting the scope of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and evidence of cover up attempts by the Vatican and Church authorities. The newly released report coincides wit
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To Serve With Pride: Zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse
The Executive Committees on Humanitarian Affairs and Peace and Security (ECHA/ECPS) United Nations (UN) and Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse was established in February 2005 with the aim of pre
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Toolkit on "Children and Adolescents Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights: Guide for Children"- Module 2 [Arabic]
'Protecting Adolescents from Gender Based Violence through the Promotion of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights’ is a three-year project launched by Save the Children aimed to raise awareness and enhance protection of children and adolescents (10-
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Sri Lanka's Missing Mothers. A working paper on the effects of Mother Migration on Children
A working paper produced by Save the Children on the impact that maternal migration has on children. The aim of this paper is to update the knowledge on the issue of mother migration and left-behind children, considering data and information that have co
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Save the Children’s Child Protection Strategy 2013-2015: Child Protection in Emergencies
Save the Children works to minimize the harm children experience during and after an emergency and ensure children are protected from participating in armed forces or groups, stay together with their families and are not subject to exploitation and sexual
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The Children's Resilience Programme: Psychosocial support in and out of schools
The Children’s Resilience Programme: Psychosocial support in and out of school was developed in 2010 by Save the Children Denmark and the Psychosocial Centre of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The programme is a noncl
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Caring for Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Guidelines for health and psychosocial service providers in humanitarian settings
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have newly developed "Caring for Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse Guidelines" for health and psychosocial providers in humanitarian settings- “CCS Guidelines”. The CCS
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Guide to community based child protection. The village safety net programme in Cambodia
The core of the Village Safety Net Program (VSN P) can be summed up in the words of the villagers themselves, who described it as an initiative that “brings together authorities, parents and children in a workshop to discuss about violence against childre
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Toolkit on “Children and Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights”: Information Guide to aid the facilitator [Arabic]
'Protecting Adolescents from Gender Based Violence through the Promotion of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights’ is a three-year project launched by Save the Children that aims to raise awareness and enhance protection of children and adolescents
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Children and Adolescents Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Toolkit: Information Guide to aid the Facilitator
'Protecting Adolescents from Gender Based Violence through the Promotion of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights’ is a three-year project launched by Save the Children that aims to raise awareness and enhance protection of children and adolescents
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Sexual Violence by Educators in South African Schools: Gaps in Accountability
Sexual violence by educators against students in South African school is a serious, widespread issue that is generally well known. Concrete numbers for actual incidences are difficult to determine as many cases of abuse are never reported. Over the past d
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Toolkit “Children and Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights”: Activities Guide for adolescents age 14-17
'Protecting Adolescents from Gender-Based Violence through the Promotion of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights’ is a three-year project launched by Save the Children that aims to raise awareness and enhance protection of children and adolescents