Gyeonggi Province Launches Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Campaign with 'Citizens Prevention Team'

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Province Gender Violence Integrated Response Team announced on the 12th that they will conduct on-site support activities (outreach) and campaigns at major hubs in southern and northern Gyeonggi Province to prevent child and youth sexual exploitation.

The Response Team identifies sexually exploited children and youth early through the 'Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Victim Response Center' and provides customized integrated support including institutional linkage, counseling, and psychological, medical, and legal assistance.

Particularly this year, the 'Citizens Prevention Team,' with direct participation from residents to build a community safety network, will join to jointly conduct on-site prevention activities.

The center, local related agencies, and the Citizens Prevention Team plan to conduct on-site promotion and education focused on areas with high teenage populations in southern and northern Gyeonggi Province, while collaborating on early identification of sexual exploitation victims, report reception, and counseling support.

Last year, the Response Team conducted 13 on-site support activities centered on areas with high youth floating populations such as Suwon, Anyang, and Seongnam, achieving multi-faceted support results including counseling, education, and promotion for 2,331 people.

This year, on-site support will be further expanded to reflect the teenage population ratio across 31 cities and counties and the characteristics of northern Gyeonggi Province. Following campaigns in Bucheon, Seongnam, and Gwacheon in the first half of the year, campaigns will continue sequentially in Ansan on the 14th and Uijeongbu on the 28th.

The online response system is also being strengthened. Through online monitoring with direct participation from the Citizens Prevention Team, the harmful environment of digital sexual exploitation is being monitored, and close support is being provided including real-time counseling and prevention information through a Kakao Open Chat channel.

Director Lee Sung-eun stated, "Early prevention and swift victim relief are most critical in combating sexual exploitation crimes targeting children and youth," and added, "We will work with the Citizens Prevention Team to establish a more robust community response system."