3 - Pathways out of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: The Dissonance Between Interventions and Social Norms
Africa Development,
Vol. 46 No. 4 (2021): Africa Development
Abstract
The fight against the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in
Zimbabwe has tended to focus on the need to enact and effectively implement
laws, policies and programmes. While these interventions are important,
negative norms and attitudes towards children who are victims of CSE continue
to be embedded in the Zimbabwean society. This study examines how the
dissonance between legal and formal institutions on the one hand and social
norms and attitudes towards CSEC on the other undermines interventions
against CSEC. This is because in order to be effective; laws, policies,
programmes and institutions need to largely emerge from and be consistent
with society’s underpinning relationships, aspirations and norms. The fight
against CSEC in Zimbabwe can take a meaningful trajectory if these negative
norms and attitudes towards children who are victims of CSE are transformed.
Keywords
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- Bang, B., Baker, P.L., Carpinteri, A. and Van Hasselt, V.B., 2014, Commercial Exploitation of Children, Cham: Springer.
- Bourke, R. and Loveridge, J., 2014, ‘Exploring informed consent and dissent through children’s participation in educational research’, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 151–65.
- Chaturvedi, S., 2013, ‘Vaccines, social mobilisation or any other game changer, polio eradication is an unfinished narrative’, Indian Journal of Community Medicine, Vol. 38, No. 2, April–June, pp. 67–9.
- Christensen, P. and James, A., 2008, ‘Introduction: researching children and childhood cultures of communication’, in P. Christensen and A. James, eds., Researching with Children: Perspectives and Practices, Second Edition, London and New York, NY: Routledge. pp. 1-8.
- ECPAT, 2014, ‘The commercial sexual exploitation of children in Africa: developments, progress, challenges and recommended strategies’, ECPAT International, Bangkok. Galtung, J., 1990, ‘Cultural violence’, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 291–305.
- Government of Zimbabwe, 2017, Ministerial Statement: Recorded Commercial Child Sexual Exploitation in Harare, 14 October.
- Graham, A., Powell, M., Taylor, N., Anderson, D. and Fitzgerald, R., 2013, Ethical Research Involving Children, Florence: UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti.
- Hoot, J., Tadesse, S. and Abdella, R., 2006, ‘Voices seldom heard: child prostitutes in Ethiopia’, Journal of Children & Poverty, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 129–39.
- Hounmenou, C. and Her, W., 2017, ‘Distinctiveness in the commercial sexual exploitation of children in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of the literature’, Journal of Human Trafficking, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 298–326.
- Kakore, N., 2017, ‘Government acts on child prostitutes’, The Herald, 11 September. Laws, S. and Mann, G., 2004, So You Want to Involve Children in Research? A Toolkit Supporting Children’s Meaningful and Ethical Participation in Research Relating to Violence Against Children, Stockholm: Save the Children Sweden.
- Levitsky, S. and Ziblatt, D., 2018, How Democracies Die, London: Viking.
- Lewis, L.A., 1949, Human Rights: Unfolding of the American Tradition: A Selection of Documents and Statements, Washington, DC: US Department of State.
- Mafirakureva, G., 2019, ‘Chiredzi resident petitions parly on child prostitution’, The Newsday, 15 April.
- Morris, A., Hegarty, K. and Humphreys, C., 2012, ‘Ethical and safe: research with children about domestic violence’, Research Ethics, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 125–39.
- Morrow, V. and Richards, M., 1996, ‘The ethics of social research with children: an overview’, Children and Society, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 90–105.
- Mubaiwa, S., 2018, ‘Red flag over child prostitution’, The Herald, 21 May. Mushava, E., 2019, ‘Mandatory 60-year jail term for raping minors’, The Newsday Zimbabwe, 19 July.
- Muyengwa, S., 2014, ‘Harmful cultural and social practices affecting children: our collective responsibility’, Report prepared for the Zimbabwe Youth Council.
- Netsianda, M. 2018a, ‘Castrate them!: Top judge wants harsh law for rapists’, The Chronicle, 30 January.
- Netsianda, M., 2018b, ‘Pedophiles must be castrated, says Judge’, The Herald, 30 January.
- Parliament of Zimbabwe, 2017, “National assembly hansard’, Volume 44, number 05, 26 September. https://www.parlzim.gov.zw/national-assembly-hansard/national-assembly-hansard-26-september-2017-vol-44-no-05. (accessed November 2018 ). Perschler-Desai, V., 2010, ‘Childhood on the market: teenage prostitution in Southern Africa’, African Security Review, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 1–10.
- Pittaway, E., Bartolomei, l. and Hugman, R., 2010, ‘“Stop stealing our stories”: the ethics of research with vulnerable groups’, Journal of Human Rights Practice, Vol. 2, No. 2., pp 229–51.
- Rittenhouse, R.H. and Felicini, E., 2015, ‘Ethical issues of researching sexual exploitation of children with victims, survivors and those at risk’, Researching the sexual exploitation of
- children: challenges and methodologies of data collection, ECPAT International Journal, No. 10, pp. 22–35.
- Ruiz-Casares, M. and Thompson, J., 2016, ‘Obtaining meaningful informed consent: preliminary results of a study to develop visual informed consent forms with children’, Children’s Geographies, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 35–45.
- The Daily news, 2014, 27 April, ‘Child prostitution a cause for concern’. Towindo, L., 2019, ‘Sixty years in jail for rapists’, The Sunday Mail, 28 April.
- Twum-Danso, A., 2004, ‘Involving children and young people in research and consultations: ethical guidelines from a CSEC perspective’, ECPAT International, unpublished report.
- UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), 2009, ‘Children’s and adolescents’ participation and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation’, Innocenti Research Centre, Innocenti Working Paper, Florence.
- World Health Organization, n.d.,Social mobilization’.https://www.who.int/healthpromotion/social-mobilization/en/ (accessed 1 November 2020).
- ZNCWC (Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children), 2014, ‘Young women in commercial sexual exploitation along two transport corridors in Zimbabwe: causes, initiation prevalence and use of HIV and social services’.
References
Bang, B., Baker, P.L., Carpinteri, A. and Van Hasselt, V.B., 2014, Commercial Exploitation of Children, Cham: Springer.
Bourke, R. and Loveridge, J., 2014, ‘Exploring informed consent and dissent through children’s participation in educational research’, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 151–65.
Chaturvedi, S., 2013, ‘Vaccines, social mobilisation or any other game changer, polio eradication is an unfinished narrative’, Indian Journal of Community Medicine, Vol. 38, No. 2, April–June, pp. 67–9.
Christensen, P. and James, A., 2008, ‘Introduction: researching children and childhood cultures of communication’, in P. Christensen and A. James, eds., Researching with Children: Perspectives and Practices, Second Edition, London and New York, NY: Routledge. pp. 1-8.
ECPAT, 2014, ‘The commercial sexual exploitation of children in Africa: developments, progress, challenges and recommended strategies’, ECPAT International, Bangkok. Galtung, J., 1990, ‘Cultural violence’, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 291–305.
Government of Zimbabwe, 2017, Ministerial Statement: Recorded Commercial Child Sexual Exploitation in Harare, 14 October.
Graham, A., Powell, M., Taylor, N., Anderson, D. and Fitzgerald, R., 2013, Ethical Research Involving Children, Florence: UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti.
Hoot, J., Tadesse, S. and Abdella, R., 2006, ‘Voices seldom heard: child prostitutes in Ethiopia’, Journal of Children & Poverty, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 129–39.
Hounmenou, C. and Her, W., 2017, ‘Distinctiveness in the commercial sexual exploitation of children in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of the literature’, Journal of Human Trafficking, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 298–326.
Kakore, N., 2017, ‘Government acts on child prostitutes’, The Herald, 11 September. Laws, S. and Mann, G., 2004, So You Want to Involve Children in Research? A Toolkit Supporting Children’s Meaningful and Ethical Participation in Research Relating to Violence Against Children, Stockholm: Save the Children Sweden.
Levitsky, S. and Ziblatt, D., 2018, How Democracies Die, London: Viking.
Lewis, L.A., 1949, Human Rights: Unfolding of the American Tradition: A Selection of Documents and Statements, Washington, DC: US Department of State.
Mafirakureva, G., 2019, ‘Chiredzi resident petitions parly on child prostitution’, The Newsday, 15 April.
Morris, A., Hegarty, K. and Humphreys, C., 2012, ‘Ethical and safe: research with children about domestic violence’, Research Ethics, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 125–39.
Morrow, V. and Richards, M., 1996, ‘The ethics of social research with children: an overview’, Children and Society, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 90–105.
Mubaiwa, S., 2018, ‘Red flag over child prostitution’, The Herald, 21 May. Mushava, E., 2019, ‘Mandatory 60-year jail term for raping minors’, The Newsday Zimbabwe, 19 July.
Muyengwa, S., 2014, ‘Harmful cultural and social practices affecting children: our collective responsibility’, Report prepared for the Zimbabwe Youth Council.
Netsianda, M. 2018a, ‘Castrate them!: Top judge wants harsh law for rapists’, The Chronicle, 30 January.
Netsianda, M., 2018b, ‘Pedophiles must be castrated, says Judge’, The Herald, 30 January.
Parliament of Zimbabwe, 2017, “National assembly hansard’, Volume 44, number 05, 26 September. https://www.parlzim.gov.zw/national-assembly-hansard/national-assembly-hansard-26-september-2017-vol-44-no-05. (accessed November 2018 ). Perschler-Desai, V., 2010, ‘Childhood on the market: teenage prostitution in Southern Africa’, African Security Review, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 1–10.
Pittaway, E., Bartolomei, l. and Hugman, R., 2010, ‘“Stop stealing our stories”: the ethics of research with vulnerable groups’, Journal of Human Rights Practice, Vol. 2, No. 2., pp 229–51.
Rittenhouse, R.H. and Felicini, E., 2015, ‘Ethical issues of researching sexual exploitation of children with victims, survivors and those at risk’, Researching the sexual exploitation of
children: challenges and methodologies of data collection, ECPAT International Journal, No. 10, pp. 22–35.
Ruiz-Casares, M. and Thompson, J., 2016, ‘Obtaining meaningful informed consent: preliminary results of a study to develop visual informed consent forms with children’, Children’s Geographies, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 35–45.
The Daily news, 2014, 27 April, ‘Child prostitution a cause for concern’. Towindo, L., 2019, ‘Sixty years in jail for rapists’, The Sunday Mail, 28 April.
Twum-Danso, A., 2004, ‘Involving children and young people in research and consultations: ethical guidelines from a CSEC perspective’, ECPAT International, unpublished report.
UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), 2009, ‘Children’s and adolescents’ participation and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation’, Innocenti Research Centre, Innocenti Working Paper, Florence.
World Health Organization, n.d.,Social mobilization’.https://www.who.int/healthpromotion/social-mobilization/en/ (accessed 1 November 2020).
ZNCWC (Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children), 2014, ‘Young women in commercial sexual exploitation along two transport corridors in Zimbabwe: causes, initiation prevalence and use of HIV and social services’.