SEXUAL abuse and exploitation of children, including rape and incest of youth, are regional challenges that demand urgent action.
A workshop on Combating Trafficking and other forms of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) yesterday heard that sexual exploitation, which includes but is not limited to prostitution, trafficking and pornography, is also on the rise in Asia and the Pacific.
Save the Children Fiji CSEC project officer Amita Jhoti Prasad said child pornography was increasing attributed to technological advances like easy access to internet, chat rooms online, e-mails etc, and the lack of laws to counter violence or sexual exploitation of children.
"The lucrative nature of the sex industry, together with a demand for commercial sex, puts children at the risk of being violated, particularly children from impoverished communities across Asia and the Pacific," she said.
"Thus there is a need to address trafficking and other forms of CSEC in Fiji."
Ms Prasad said through their consultation process they discovered that people were still not aware of the definition of domestic trafficking.