Published: 1 September, 2022
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Child10 maps parties in election compass
Today, the ChildX Election Compass is released, mapping the parties’ positions on three key national issues related to commercial sexual exploitation of children. The results show, among other things, that there is strong support in Parliament for the development of national guidelines and recommendations to ensure the identification, protection and support of vulnerable children.
– Many children who are victims are in contact with the healthcare system without receiving the protection and support they need and are entitled to. National guidelines and recommendations that can support health professionals are crucial to change this. This is a demand that we have been pushing for a long time and it is very good that there is a great will to get this in place, says Jacob Flärdh, Secretary General of ChildX.
The Electoral Compass has identified three areas through a survey of parliamentary parties. In addition to the issue of national guidelines and recommendations, the survey also explores the view of tightening legislation for crimes against 15 to 17-year-olds, a target group that currently has less legal protection against commercial sexual exploitation than younger children.
– “For us, it goes without saying that a child can never consent to being exploited, which is why these crimes should always be punished as rape. This view is shared by several parliamentary parties and we now call on others to also take a stand for equal protection for all children regardless of age,” says Jacob Flärdh.
In addition to these questions, parties were also asked whether they would like to see strict liability or higher standards of control for perpetrators, which is important to strengthen the protection of all children under criminal law. The results of the Electoral Compass are presented today on the Child10 website together with an analysis by Gabriella Kärnekull Wolfe, Ombudsman against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
About ChildX Electoral Compass: The survey was conducted through a three-question questionnaire to the parliamentary parties during the period August 10-18, 2022.