7 April 2010

Humanitarian Resource Institute
Phone: (203) 668-0282
Url: www.humanitarian.net

United Nations Arts Initiative
Arts Integration Into Education
Url: www.unarts.org
Twitter: unarts

Humanitarian Intervention Initiative
Url: www.unarts.org/H-II

UNArts: H-II - Saving 162,000 Children on the Streets in the United States
by Stephen Michael Apatow, [1] founder of Humanitarian Resource Institute and the United Nations Arts Initiative

We hear about intensive efforts of law enforcement cracking down on child pornography across the United States, but in these same cities 162,000 children are working the streets as Child Prostitutes (Homeless, Runaway & Throwaway Youth). [2,3]   Helping those "In Our Back Yard" encompasses the call for relief operations that support law enforcement, the provision of safe havens, medical care and rehabilitation for victims of human trafficking. [4]  According to Wickpedia: [5]

In 2001, Dr. Richard Estes and Dr. Neil Alan Weiner estimated that in the U.S., 162,000 U.S. homeless youth are child prostitutes (CVE) and that 57,800 children in homes (including public housing) are estimated to be victims of CVE. They also estimated that 30% of shelter youth and 70% of homeless youth are victims of CVE in the United States. One third of street-level prostitutes in the U.S. are under 18 years old while fifty percent of off-street prostitutes are less than 18 years old. Off-street prostitution includes massage parlors, strip clubs, and escort services. According to Estes and Weiner, 12 to 14 is the average age of entry into prostitution for girls under 17 years old in the United States while the average age of entry into prostitution is between 11 and 13. [6]

Prosecution of crimes involving exploitation of children is the focus of international collaboration of the law enforcement community applying the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, [7] Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, esp Women and Children, [8] and Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air. [9]  

International travel to facilitate engagement in such crimes is now a priority focus of Interpol and international law enforcement collaboration. [10]  The H-II: G-192 Human Rights Reporting - Evidence Collection - Witness Protection initiative [11] was established following the 2009 murder of Neda Soltan in Iran.

References:

1. Stephen Michael Apatow: Founder: Humanitarian Resource Institute, United Nations Arts Initiative. Url: http://www.apatow.org
2. Homeless, Runaway & Throwaway Youth: Sexual Victimization and the Consequences: Janet Anderson, WCSAP, Volume 7, 1 October 2004. Url: http://www.wcsap.org/pdf/RAD%207-1.pdf
3. Human Trafficking of Children in the United States: OSDFS: U.S. Department of Education. Url: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/factsheet.html
4. UNArts: H-II - Human Trafficking of Children/Adults - Global Law Enforcement/Relief Intervention: Humanitarian Resource Institute, 5 April 2010. Url: http://www.unarts.org/news/aiie_thb452010.html
5. Prostitution of children: Wickpedia. Url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_of_children
6. Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S. Canada and Mexico: Richard J. Estes, Ph.D., and Neil Alan Weiner, Ph.D.  University of Pennsylvania, September 18, 2001. Url: http://www.sp2.upenn.edu/%7Erestes/CSEC_Files/Exec_Sum_020220.pdf
7. United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes. Url: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CTOC/index.html
8. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, esp Women and Children: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes. Url: http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/Conventions/dcatoc/final_documents_2/convention_%20traff_eng.pdf
9. Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes. http://www.uncjin.org/Documents/Conventions/dcatoc/final_documents_2/convention_smug_eng.pdf
10. Interpol - Trafficking in Human Beings:  Url: http://www.interpol.int/Public/THB/default.asp
11. H-II: G-192 Human Rights Reporting - Evidence Collection - Witness Protection: Humanitarian Resource Institute. Url: http://www.unarts.org/news/nedasoltan_6232009.html