Paper: Barriers for boys in accessing supports for sexual exploitation

Mark Kavenagh co-authored this peer-reviewed paper together with Nicholas Hua and Christine Wekerle from McMaster University in Canada. The paper provides a gender norms analysis of the data presented in the ten country reports published as part of ECPAT International’s ground-breaking Global Boys Initiative.

The paper synthesizes analysis of legal frameworks with findings from a survey of front line social support workers to name themes, challenges and present solutions

  1. Challenge problematic gender norms and consequent practices, such as gendered terminology in legislation, that create barriers for boys and gender-diverse children;
  2. Create psychologically, emotionally, and physically safe circumstances (i.e. trauma-informed care) for all children to know help-seeking is possible; and
  3. Undertake proactive support that specifically connects boys and gender-diverse children to therapeutic services like drop-in centers, night-time counseling, and emergency shelter.

You can download the full paper here.

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