Evident supported the UNICEF Malaysia Country Office to research and consolidate the data regarding reporting mechanisms for violence against children in the Malaysian context for a brief policy paper to inform their government advocacy. This assignment included a rapid mapping of the current reporting infrastructure in Malaysia mechanisms – including helplines and reporting hotlines/portals and the broader child protection infrastructure for responding to violence against children, including CSEA. It further explored the global research evidence and regional good practice examples. The paper distilled this evidence, to articulate ten concrete actions that could underscore advocacy to government for practical improvements to the reporting mechanisms for violence against children in Malaysia.
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Paper: CSEA Disclosure and Help-Seeking – A Glimpse of the Global South Data
This peer-reviewed article in Child Abuse Review by Dr Mark Kavenagh and Dr Kati Maternowska analyses data from large-scale population surveys in 20 global South countries to understand why young people disclose child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), or more importatnly, why they don’t. For example, only 1-10% of children in countries like Haiti, Honduras, and Uganda received services after disclosing sexual violence. That doesn’t provide great motivation to speak about such a sensitive and difficult topic. Read the paper here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/car.2887
Report: Safe Online Grantee Forum for Southeast Asia and Pacific
Evident provided note-taking support during this one-day forum in Bangkok where representatives from 21 projects addressing online child sexual exploitation and abuse met to share results, regional trends, challenges and successes. Following the event, we developed a summary report that consolidated the discussions against four themes, and focused on identifying points of agreement and divergence in project results, naming emerging trends, and steering future priorities and actions. Learn more here: https://safeonline.global/a-day-of-learning-networking-and-problem-solving/
Paper: Child Sexual Abuse/Exploitation and LGBTQI+ Children: Context, Links, Vulnerabilities, Gaps, Challenges and Priorities
This peer-reviewed article in the brand new Child Protection and Practice journal was co-authored by Dr Mark Capaldi from Mahidol University and Evident’s Jennifer Schatz and Dr Mark Kavenagh. The article explores the intricate issue of child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSEA) among LGBTQI+ children. Research reveals that LGBTQI+ status is associated with increased risks for CSEA, with these young individuals facing unique challenges such as homelessness, poly-victimization, and barriers to accessing vital protections. Yet it is crucial to understand that being LGBTQI+ is not the cause of increased vulnerability to CSEA. Instead, societal discrimination, stigma, and oppression linked to LGBTQI+ status elevate the risks of victimization. Our research highlights the need for targeted interventions and support to address these […]
Paper: Reliance on Informal and Gig Economies Leaves LGBTQ+ Populations with Fewer Economic Choices and Greater Vulnerability to Trafficking
The new peer-reviewed article co-authored by Evident’s Dr Mark Kavenagh together with Mackenzie Stoeltje and Dr Meredith Dank from New York University’s Marron Institute sheds some light on the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ populations in informal and gig economies. The article sets out the rationale and conceptual framework of a four million dollar counter-trafficking project funded by the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons that Evident is currently engaged in. The article proposes a harm-minimization model for counter-trafficking programming that focuses on diversifying livelihood choices, fostering psychological safety, and addressing stigma and discrimination to reduce trafficking risks. Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2024.2310349
Are We Remembering the Boys?
Dr. Mark Kavenagh, recently made an appearance on the ‘One in Ten’ podcast by the National Children’s Alliance. In this compelling episode titled “Are We Remembering the Boys?”, he sheds light on a vital, yet often overlooked aspect of the discourse surrounding sexual exploitation – the experiences of boys. While there is no denying the fact that girls across the globe are disproportionately vulnerable to both sexual abuse and exploitation, Mark emphasized the reality that sexual violence does not discriminate by gender. Boys, too, are victims, but they often face unique stigmas and burdens that can hinder their path to healing. Listen to the full episode here.
Web Safe and Wise Campaign Support
Over five months of coaching and support, the team at Evident supported programming staff, together with communications staff from seven ChildFund country offices in South and Southeast Asia. Together, we identified and crafted seven narratives that showcased country office’s existing and new programmatic work regarding online safety. Based on these narratives, the team drafted a range of comms products that the country offices could use to articulate these narratives via public and media engagements, advocacy work with government, and other activities within the organisations broader global Web Safe and Wise campaign.
Mid-term Evaluation of the Economic Res-Q Project
Evident completed a mid-term evaluation of this project by Equal Asia Foundation to support queer communities in Thailand economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project supported small LGBTQI+ businesses and gig workers and advocated for stronger protections for the community that built readiness to cope with similar future events. The evaluation drew on documentary analysis and qualitative interviews to identify successes, blocks, and recommend redirections for the remainder of the project.
Do Laws about Age of Sexual Consent Protect or Penalise Children?
Evident collaborated with the Safer Young Lives Centre and Tulir India to explore laws establishing minimum age of consent to sexual activities. In a webinar in December, Mark Kavenagh presented about the ways in which these laws can protect young people from sexual abuse by adults but that unintended consequences can also result if not treated with nuance – with young people potentially being punished for consensual sexual contact between same-aged peers. You can find the webinar recording here.
Writing Online Safety Training Curriculum for Southeast Asia
Mark joined Alan Collins from Hugh James Law Firm in the UK to talk about Evident’s work re-writing online safety curriculum for ChildFund Australia. The ‘Swipe Safe’ training course includes components for young people, parents and for frontline professionals and will be delivered to more than 20,000 people in Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and Cambodia starting in early 2023. You can listen to the podcast here.