Breaking the Silence: Uniting efforts to address the sexual exploitation of minors

Wednesday 29 January 2025

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Fostering open dialogue, challenging taboos, and inspiring innovative strategies to protect vulnerable adolescents were the main focus of the international conference on the issue of child sexual exploitation dellɜ minors in Europe “Breaking the Silence: Uniting Efforts to Address the Sexual Exploitation of Minors” organized by KMOP in collaboration with Pistes Solidaires, MEITIS, and CESIE ETS in the heart of Brussels. An agenda full of insights and outstanding speakers such as Pierre Trbovic of Défense des Enfants International and Aziz Essadek, an expert on child sexual exploitation explained the dynamics of the phenomenon in Belgium and France, while Barbara Maculan, president of Equality Cooperativa Sociale, brought the Italian perspective.

The event explored insights and lessons learned from national reports conducted in France, Italy and Greece through Jericho,, highlighting key factors contributing to the sexual exploitation of children and examining challenges faced by stakeholders. In the process of preventing exploitation, policymakers, social workers and educators play a key role.

One of the central moments was the presentation of the project results: the experiences gathered from research and workshops conducted with adolescents in France, Italy and Greece; and the presentation of the tools and materials that formed the active part of the European campaign in English and national languages in the project partner countries.

The day concluded with a speech by Zsuzsanna Felkai Janssen, Team Leader at the European Commission’s Anti-Trafficking Unit, who stressed the importance of a coordinated approach among member states to combat this serious form of abuse.

The event was an important step forward in raising awareness and international cooperation against child sexual exploitation. Participants left the meeting with new ideas, tools and motivation to address this issue, reaffirming their collective commitment to a ‘safer and more inclusive Europe.

To learn about the materials developed for the campaign visit https://childrensafe.eu/

To learn more about the project and its initiatives contact Cinzia Broccolo: cinzia.broccolo@cesie.org.

About the project

JERICHO – Speak out to break down the wall that makes underage prostitution invisible is a project funded by the European Commission’s CERV-DAPHNE programme, and aims to raise awareness on the phenomenon of child sexual exploitation in prostitution through social media campaigns in order to prevent child abuse.

Partners

For further information

Read more about the project, visit https://childrensafe.eu/ and follow us on Instagram and YouTube.

Contact Cinzia Broccolo: cinzia.broccolo@cesie.org.

Upspace, a project to train more sustainable generations

Upspace, a project to train more sustainable generations

UpSpace promotes climate change mitigation as a cultural initiative, engaging schools and communities to integrate sustainability into curricula and develop green skills. The project, launched in Palermo with partners from four countries, aims to raise awareness among youth and stakeholders through training, educational materials and policy cooperation.

Promoting healthy relationships: two workshops for young people

Promoting healthy relationships: two workshops for young people

In Europe, the phenomenon of child sexual exploitation remains undeclared due to lack of data and awareness. The JERICHO workshops, conducted with young people aged 14-17, promoted affective education, respect and consent, highlighting the urgency of ongoing school-based interventions to prevent violence and toxic behavior.

CESIE ETS