‘Shame haunts victims’: Damaging gender norms compounding sexual exploitation of children

‘If a girl is raped it may not be seen as rape but that she must have done something to make that happen,’ researcher tells Maya Oppenheim in an exclusive interview

Researchers found socio-cultural taboos suppress open conversations about sex and sexuality (AFP)

Damaging gender norms are exacerbating the problem of sexual exploitation of children in the Middle East and north Africa, a harrowing report has found.

The new study, carried out by End Child Prostitution and Trafficking International (Ecpat), has warned the combination of armed conflict, deeply entrenched inequality, and a dearth of awareness and statistics has terrible repercussions for the 160 million children living in the region.

Researchers found socio-cultural taboos suppress conversations about sex and sexuality and the culture of victim-blaming results in young girls being blamed for being subjected to sexual violence.