Recent decades have seen some successes in combating sex crimes against children in Southeast Asia, but the problem clearly continues. The sexual exploitation of children is a crime exposing a lack of protection for some of the most vulnerable members of society. Seefar has been analyzing current threats in this domain and developing plans in response. We are certainly not the only organization striving to make a difference on this issue and have benefited during our work from, among others, the efforts of:

• Action pour les Enfants
• ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
• PCR, the Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights
• ECPAT, End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes
• Fight Against Child Exploitation
• International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children

Encouragingly, there are reasons to hope that change is coming. Social norms in the region are gradually shifting towards more active opposition to child sexual exploitation. Unfortunately, it is happening too late and too slowly for children being exploited right now. Seefar’s work aims to contribute to understanding of sexual crimes against children in the region – and to support change in the immediate future.