Every 20 Seconds, A Child Is Sold Into Sexual Exploitation
The sexual exploitation of children is a serious problem that’s closely linked to human trafficking. Around 300 million children a year are victims of online abuse and exploitation, and around 2 million are sexually exploited in brothels, dancing bars or hotels.
Arjan Erkel, a Dutch medical doctor based in Rotterdam, while working as a humanitarian aid worker for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), was kidnapped by armed rebels in the Russian North Caucasus and held hostage for 607 days.
According to his book, Ontvoerd (Kidnapped), Erkel spent the twenty months in a dark cell measuring one and a half by two meters, surrounded by insects and mice. For months, he saw no faces and he was guarded by heavily armed men with masks. He feared for his life multiple times, oscillating between hope and despair, and felt his end approaching during nighttime rides in the trunk of a car, heading towards new uncertainties.
This experience had a profound effect on his life. “Every day, I managed to motivate myself to keep on living, to improve the situation,” said Erkel.
After his release, he dedicated much of his life to humanitarian causes and co-founded Free a Girl, an organization committed to rescuing children from sexual exploitation and bringing perpetrators to justice.
“When I look back on my abduction, I don’t harbor any anger,” said Erkel. “Of course, I would have preferred not to experience it, but I have come to terms with it.” One of the ways he has come to terms with it is by redirecting his energy towards the organization that he helped found.
Free a Girl rescues children and provides after care and helps them rebuild their lives. The organization also focuses on tackling exploitation within the tourism industry, targeting both victims and perpetrators, and offering legal support to victims and help bring exploiters to justice.
Erkel will share his personal experiences and motivation for co-founding Free a Girl, and, along with Gwen Engelen, who serves on the International Advisory Council, will be presenting at the Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill on October 21. Engelen, also Dutch, spent more than 25 years working internationally in business and management consulting, including several years in the United States. She is also former member of Philadelphia Rotary.
According to Free a Girl’s website, the organization has rescued and rehabilitated 10,000 children and helped arrest 17,000 perpetrators since the organization’s founding in 2008.
Why is public awareness so important?
According to Engelen, “Most of us live our daily lives without realizing that, somewhere in the world, children are being bought, sold, and sexually exploited. It’s an uncomfortable reality. But looking away doesn’t make it disappear. These children cannot simply walk away from their situation. They need people who are willing to see what’s happening and take action.”
According to Free a Girl, children can be forced into exploitation in many ways—through physical violence, threats, or being tricked. Poverty, gender inequality, and conflicts make kids even more vulnerable. Sexual exploitation within the tourism industry is a growing concern, with children being targeted in popular travel destinations.
In this video clip, Free a Girl’s Co-Founder, Evelien Hölsken, reports on rescue operations in Nepal.
Engelen firmly believes that we can all make a difference. “It doesn’t always require extraordinary actions. Sometimes it starts with a conversation, an introduction, or simply sharing a story. Rotary brings together people who care about their communities and who have the networks, experience, and willingness to turn awareness into meaningful action.”
The presentation will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 7:30 a.m., Center on the Hill, Widener Hall, 8855 Germantown Avenue, Phila, PA. Presented by the Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill, this event is free and open to the public.
