Abstract

Child Sexual exploitation is a global problem and a serious violation of the human dignity of the child victims. The term ‘sexual exploitation of children’ refers to criminal practices that demean, degrade and threaten the physical and psychosocial integrity of children, in particular, sexual abuse by an adult and remuneration in cash or kind to a child or third person(s). Prostitution, pornography, and trafficking for sexual purposes are three primary and interrelated forms of sexual exploitation of children. Other forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children include, but are not limited to, child sex tourism, and child marriages. All these practices violate the rights of children to liberty and security, privacy and integrity, health and in some cases, even the right to life. The Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) also guarantees children the specific right to be free from sexual abuse while in the care of guardians or caretakers, and sexual abuse and exploitation in all its forms, including prostitution and pornography. State parties undertake to ensure all of the rights embodied in the CRC by following children’s best interest in implementing appropriate legislation and other measures which promote the recovery and reintegration of child victims. These rights are most obviously violated when children are sexually abused or exploited. They are also violated when state parties fail to take the necessary steps to punish offenders, reintegrate child victims and prevent sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the first instance. In this context, sexual abuse and exploitation of children is a sensitive issue in Bangladesh. The girls and boys are sexually exploited in many ways within and outside the house in Bangladesh. There are several laws, special laws like the Women & Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 for the girl child’s protection which can be regarded as a good initiative definitely. But still in Bangladesh the issue of sexual exploitation of children are unfolded. Besides vulnerability to life, children are victims of rape, sexual harassment and other forms of torture in Bangladesh.