Hungary Educators afraid of pimps

July 17, 2008

Comment: The Nepszabadsag article is the second of a series about prostitution of minors in Hungary written by the same journalist, Dora Matalin. Please see our press review of the first article here.

This article explores the lack of cooperation among the different authorities, child protection, health care and police. These authorities blame each other for the inability to stop children living in state care from getting into prostitution. Some of the experts interviewed want stricter regulations that would make state institutions financially interested in safeguarding the kids, while others want schools to report children ‘at risk’ of prostitution. The article mentions that educators of state institutions have limited tools to keep kids within the homes – since these are not prisons and children can come and go at freewill, while they are also afraid of the pimps against whom they receive no protection.

In the meantime however, children who escape abusive homes are at the prey of ‘friends’ who exploit their urge for freedom and force them into prostitution. The article does not offer any hope that the situation may change any time soon, and, it does not even hold the state accountable for its obligation to protect children under its care.