23rd Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Human Trafficking
Hon. Sonia Krimi, a French Member of Parliament, addressed the issues of child sexual exploitation and female prostitution, asserting that the notion of prostitution as “the oldest profession” is erroneous and rooted in ignorance. She emphasized that there is no such thing as a “happy” prostitution, as most women are coerced, deceived, or exploited. Krimi highlighted the rapid expansion of online child sexual exploitation, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, and migration. She noted that in 2022, the United States National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received over 29 million reports, predominantly from outside the United States. She cited increasing European cases, such as Germany’s 23% rise in child trafficking in 2021. Her recommendations include criminalizing illegal offline activities online, mandating electronic service providers to detect and remove child sexual abuse material, and prioritizing victim identification, as less than 1% are currently identified. In France, a national plan to combat minor prostitution was launched in 2019 and fully implemented by 2022 with €14 million in funding. This plan involved multiple ministries and initiatives, including social network monitoring, school and healthcare interventions, rental platform oversight, and enhanced cybercrime investigations. Krimi emphasized that child exploitation is a transnational issue that necessitates multinational cooperation. She urged parents, parliamentarians, and governments to support legislation and initiatives aimed at safeguarding children and strengthening democracy.
