The sexual exploitation of children is a serious issue and the protection of children is the responsibility of all adults. By using this Serious Game you show that you and/or your company take on responsibility for the protection of children. This tool uses an effective, interactive and entertaining methodology to introduce the topic to tourism professionals and students.

Most customers and business partners appreciate receiving such information as it demonstrates your commitment as a responsible company to child protection in tourism. Even so, addressing this topic might be a sensitive issue sometimes.

Maybe you are unsure of how to address the topic in general, maybe you don’t wish to appear accusatory, maybe you are afraid of losing your job or getting into trouble with your employer if you raise the subject or maybe you are afraid of scaring customers off…

Feel free to try out the different situations presented in the game – it’s fun to be more provocative than you would dare to be in a real situation of this kind. See how people react and what kind of discussion might evolve. Try out these situations in the game so that you are prepared in real life.

Sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT) is a serious crime - everywhere!

SECTT was recognised as an urgent issue needing to be addressed at an international level in the early 1990s following research in South East Asia highlighting evidence of travellers perpetrating child sexual abuse and exploitation in developing countries. The responsibility never lies with the victims, even if they may sometimes appear to consent to sexual relations. The situation is often complex and there are many factors which contribute to the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Every year, millions of children are estimated to be victims of sexual exploitation worldwide. Some are exploited by tourists or travellers, some are trafficked into sexual slavery and millions of images of child sexual abuse circulate daily on the internet.

Nowadays many travel and tourism businesses engage in corporate social responsibility and as such contribute to strengthening child protection within the industry, for example through their membership and implementation of the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism (abbreviation: Tourism Child Protection Code). 245 companies in 38 countries have already signed the Tourism Child Protection Code.

ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for sexual purposes) is a global network of organisations in 80 countries working together for the elimination of the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

The Serious Game was created within the framework of the “Don’t Look Away!” project (2012-2015), involving members of the ECPAT network from 16 European countries. This project, which aims to promote new ways to combat the sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and tourism, is co-funded by the European Union. One of its key components is mobilising support and strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders such as the tourism sector, the police and local/state authorities.

Don't look away!
This website enables individuals to report suspected cases of child sexual exploitation even if they are abroad through providing links to existing national online reporting mechanisms:

www.reportchildsextourism.org

Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism
(short: Child Protection Code):

www.thecode.org

You will also find more information on the website of ECPAT International:

www.ecpat.net and your national ECPAT group.

Six members of ECPAT’s global network coordinate this project: