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Statements

 RESOLUTION

MISUSE OF THE INTERNET FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

Submitted by
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

United Nations Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

Acknowledging that the Internet can be a valuable medium of communication, and noting that Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights identifies the right of freedom of expression as a fundamental human right, and that all recommendations must be implemented to protect this right,

Recognizing that the Internet is the most unregulated communications network in the world with new technologies that present difficult challenges to national and international regulation and enforcement,

Alarmed that multiple forms of sexual exploitation, such as prostitution, sex tours, bride trafficking, pornography, live sex shows, and rape videos for sexual entertainment are promoted; that the Internet is now the preferred site for mail order bride promotions; and that the Internet offers multiple forums in which the trafficking, prostitution, and other forms of sexual exploitation of women and children are promoted and carried out,

Noting that the scope, volume, and content of the material on the Internet promoting or enacting the trafficking, prostitution and sexual exploitation of women and children is unprecedented,

Aware that the content of some material on the Internet, such as men's sex tour diaries, incriminate men in acts of the rape and enslavement of women and girls for the purposes of sexual gratification and domination,

Emphasizing that many of the practices of trafficking and prostitution on the Internet are characterized by domination, control, and violence so extreme as to constitute slavery, serious violation of human rights, and forms of sex discrimination,

Convinced that prostitution and the traffic in persons are incompatible with human dignity and well being and that all practices of the exploitation of the prostitution of others and trafficking in persons are incompatible with human rights,

Acknowledging that the women and children subjected to sexual exploitation on the Internet are often from countries suffering inter alia from poverty, and armed conflict; and the men using the Internet for the purposes of sexually exploiting women and children are often from developed countries,

Noting that the traffic in persons and the exploitation of the prostitution of others are highly profitable, and illegal, and those activities that are increasingly carried out by organized crime syndicates,

Convinced that heightened awareness of the harm of sexual exploitation to women and children together with the political will to combat this harm, will significantly reduce the extent of trafficking, prostitution and sexual exploitation on the Internet,

1) Recommends that governments, as a matter of priority, review, amend, and enforce existing laws, or enact new laws, to prevent the misuse of the Internet for trafficking, prostitution, and the sexual exploitation of women and children,

2) Recommends that governments and nongovernmental organizations undertake further investigation of the misuse of the Internet for the purpose of promoting and/or carrying out trafficking, prostitution, and the sexual exploitation of women and children,

3) Urges governments to act more forcefully to eliminate the traffic in persons, the exploitation of the prostitution of others, and sexual exploitation on the Internet,

4) Recommends that governments and nongovernmental organizations develop and implement educational programs on the harm of trafficking, prostitution, and sexual exploitation of women and children's mental and physical well being,

5) Urges governments, in cooperation with interested nongovernmental organizations, to develop educational programs and policies and laws addressing the use of the Internet by prostitution customers for the purpose of engaging in sexual exploitation;

6) Recommends that governments investigate and use as evidence of crimes and acts of discrimination advertising, correspondence, and other communications over the Internet to promote sex trafficking, prostitution, sex tourism, bride trafficking and rape,

7) Calls for new levels of cooperation among governments and national and regional law enforcement bodies in order to combat the escalating trafficking and prostitution of women and children, the globalization of this industry, and the misuse of the Internet to promote and carry out acts of sex trafficking, sex tourism, sexual violence, and sexual exploitation

This web site is created by
Donna M. Hughes, Education and Research Coordinator,
The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Eleanor M. and Oscar M. Carlson Endowed Chair,
Women's Studies Program, University of Rhode Island, USA
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes (Donna M. Hughes Homepage)
dhughes@uriacc.uri.edu