III. Situation analysis

A. Scope of the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

2. Child prostitution

18. While the prevalence of child prostitution in Guatemala is not known, a 2010 study by ECPAT identified prostitution of underage boys as the most prevalent type of commercial sexual exploitation of males in the municipalities of Guatemala and Ayutla.{{12}} In the 35 locations in Guatemala City and Ayutla where such practices have been identified, the number of underage male prostitutes is twice that of adult male prostitutes. The number of underage homosexual prostitutes is also double that of their adult male counterparts, and between 20 and 25 boys are engaged in transsexual prostitution.{{13}}

III. Situation analysis

D. Policies and programmes to address sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

4. Prevention, capacity-building and awareness raising

93. Effective sex education in schools is lacking; sex is also a taboo topic within homes and the community. This creates confusion and lack of understanding about sexuality, particularly for pre-adolescents, and an environment where children do not feel safe or secure discussing issues relating to sexuality with their families and within their communities. While the Ministry of Education claims that there are sexual education programmes in the schools, reportedly, in practice, teachers are reluctant to present them.

Link to full text of the report: Report-SRSaleofChildren-Guatemala-2013-eng

[[12]]12. ECPAT, La explotación sexual comercial de niños y adolescentes varones en Guatemala (2010), p. 8.[[12]]

[[13]]13. Ibid, p. 11.[[13]]

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