Seoul City to Implement Comprehensive Support Measures for 'Sexual Exploitation Victim Children and Adolescents'... Self-Reliance Settlement Funds and Allowance Support

Protecting Victims of 'Sexual Exploitation' Taking Advantage of Children and Adolescents' Vulnerable Status Is Key
Specialized Counselors Accompany Police Investigations... Ordinance to Reflect Human Rights Protection and International Human Rights Norms Underway
One-Stop Support Center to Operate from Next Year... 10 Million Won Independence Settlement Fund and 300,000 Won Monthly Independence Allowance for Facility Graduates Newly Established

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is preparing and implementing a comprehensive support plan to provide all-around assistance to children and adolescents who are victims of sexual exploitation. The city plans to establish a legal basis by enacting related ordinances within this year and will launch the 'Integrated Support Center for Children and Adolescents Victimized by Sexual Exploitation' starting next year, offering one-stop support including medical and legal assistance, employment linkage, and psychological and emotional support. The policy includes providing a self-reliance settlement fund of 10 million KRW and a self-reliance allowance of 300,000 KRW per month for three years.

On the 15th, marking the 'Anti-Prostitution Week,' Seoul announced this comprehensive plan to prevent sexual exploitation of children and adolescents and support victims, aiming to protect the human rights of socially vulnerable children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation. The city defines 'sexual exploitation' as any act that induces, coerces, or sexually exploits children and adolescents by taking advantage of their vulnerable status, and plans to provide comprehensive support for all victims of sexual exploitation.

According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's analysis of sexual crimes against children and adolescents, 72.2% of victimized children and adolescents were contacted online before meeting offline. Notably, 47.6% of at-risk youth experienced prostitution, and among those, multiple layers of victimization such as sexual violence (29.2%), stalking (31.3%), and assault (18.8%) were identified.

Accordingly, the comprehensive plan consists of 13 tasks across three areas: ▲ Establishing a social foundation for protecting the human rights of children and adolescents ▲ Developing tailored support measures without blind spots ▲ Creating a safe environment through an expanded and meticulous monitoring network.

Seoul will first establish a legal basis by enacting the 'Ordinance on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Support for Victims among Children and Adolescents,' reflecting international human rights standards within this year. A new 'Professional Counselor Accompaniment Support System' will be introduced to dispatch professional counselors during police investigations of victimized children and adolescents, and a 'Human Rights Protection Guide' will be produced and distributed to all 31 police stations across Seoul to foster a child- and adolescent-friendly investigative environment.

Starting next year, the existing 'Support Center for Children and Adolescents Victimized by Prostitution,' which was limited to prostitution victims, will be upgraded to the 'Integrated Support Center for Children and Adolescents Victimized by Sexual Exploitation.' This center will provide one-stop support not only for counseling but also for medical and legal assistance, employment linkage, and psychological and emotional support. The scope of support will be expanded from prostitution victims to all sexual exploitation victims, including grooming, threats, and sexual violence, providing comprehensive assistance for multiple layers of victimization. To ensure stable operation with the center's expansion, five additional professional counselors will be assigned, increasing the number from three to eight.

In particular, from next year, Seoul will begin providing a self-reliance settlement fund (10 million KRW) and a self-reliance allowance (300,000 KRW per month for three years) to youth leaving prostitution victim support facilities who have weak family support systems. The settlement fund will be given to youth who have resided for more than one year as of their discharge date and who left after turning 18, while the allowance will be provided monthly for three years to youth who have resided for more than two years as of their discharge date. Additionally, a new 'Self-Reliance Coaching Program' will be established for victimized children and adolescents who find it difficult to secure stable employment due to low educational attainment. This program will systematically and practically support self-reliance from basic learning and academic qualification acquisition through equivalency exams, internship activities, job and entrepreneurship linkage, to continuous case management after employment or entrepreneurship.

Furthermore, tailored support for victims such as persons with disabilities, males, and those with low educational attainment will be strengthened. For persons with disabilities who have difficulty clearly expressing their intentions or recognizing victimization, a one-on-one mentoring program tailored to individual levels will be introduced. Considering that male victims find it difficult to disclose their victimization, victim identification activities using online communities will be intensified. Low-education victims will receive systematic support focused on self-reliance, from basic learning to equivalency exams and internship support.

Seoul will cooperate with the Autonomous Police Committee to conduct joint crackdowns on illegal acts such as prostitution brokerage and advertising in daily life, utilizing citizen monitoring activities and tip-off results. Those involved will be strictly punished, and administrative measures will be taken against violating businesses according to relevant laws. If necessary, additional evidence will be collected, and legal advice will be sought to file criminal charges and take strong measures.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Women and Family Policy Office, said, "It is important to firmly protect children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation and support their healing and recovery, while also helping them build self-esteem and discover their latent potential." She added, "To this end, we will not only establish a meticulous institutional and policy foundation but also spare no effort to support socially vulnerable victimized children and adolescents so that they can safely enjoy their right to grow."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.