Semi finals

• The sexual exploitation and abuse of children is a deeply disturbing and pervasive phenomenon that occurs worldwide
• Sexual exploitation and abuse of children

  Involves various forms of sexual violence, coercion, and manipulation inflicted upon minors, often by adults in positions of power or authority
• Forms of Exploitation


  • Child pornography: The production, distribution, and possession of sexually explicit materials involving minors
  • Trafficking: The recruitment, transportation, or harboring of children for the purpose of exploitation, including prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of sexual exploitation
  • Online grooming: Adults engage in deceptive practices to establish relationships with children online, with the intention of sexually exploiting them
  • Abuse within institutions: Instances of sexual abuse occurring within institutional settings such as schools, religious organizations, foster care, and juvenile justice systems
• Impact on Victims


  The impact of sexual exploitation and abuse on children is profound and long-lasting. It can lead to a range of physical, emotional, and psychological consequences, including trauma, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, self-harm, and even suicide. Victims often struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, and low self-esteem, which can affect their ability to form healthy relationships and lead fulfilling lives.
• Causes


  • Perpetrators often exploit their authority, trust, or influence over children to manipulate and control them
  • Poverty, lack of education, and inadequate social support systems can make children more vulnerable to exploitation
  • The proliferation of the internet and digital technologies has facilitated new avenues for perpetrators to exploit children online, often under the guise of anonymity
• Prevention and Intervention


  • Educating children, parents, caregivers, and communities about the signs of exploitation, safe online practices, and how to report abuse
  • Implementing laws, policies, and procedures to safeguard children from exploitation, including screening and training for individuals working with children, and providing support services for victims
  • Holding perpetrators accountable through legal measures, including law enforcement investigations, prosecutions, and appropriate sentencing
  • Providing trauma-informed care, counseling, and support services to survivors to help them heal and rebuild their lives
• Bio-psychosocial Effects of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

  • Biological Effects: Victims of sexual abuse may experience physical injuries, such as bruising, lacerations, or internal trauma, depending on the nature of the abuse. Survivors may suffer from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reproductive health problems, or chronic pelvic pain as a result of the abuse. Trauma from sexual abuse can affect the brain's neurobiology, leading to alterations in stress response systems, neurotransmitter function, and brain structure. This can contribute to symptoms such as hypervigilance, dissociation, and emotional dysregulation.
  • Psychological Effects: Sexual exploitation and abuse can cause severe psychological trauma, leading to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance of trauma-related stimuli. Survivors often experience depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders as a result of the trauma they have endured. Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and fear are common. Many survivors of sexual abuse develop dissociative symptoms as a coping mechanism to disconnect from the traumatic experience. This can lead to a sense of detachment from one's emotions, thoughts, and surroundings. Victims may engage in self-destructive behaviors, such as self-harm or suicidal ideation, as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions and psychological distress.
  • Social Effects: Survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse may struggle with trust issues and have difficulty forming and maintaining relationships. They may withdraw from social interactions and isolate themselves as a means of self-protection. Society's attitudes toward sexual abuse survivors can contribute to feelings of shame, self-blame, and stigma. Victims may fear judgment or disbelief from others, leading to reluctance to disclose their experiences. The trauma of sexual abuse can disrupt a survivor's ability to function effectively in social settings, including school, work, and community activities. This can impact their academic and occupational performance and limit their social opportunities.
• Biopsychosocial help


  A holistic approach to understanding and addressing health and well-being issues that considers biological, psychological, and social factors
• The current approach to helping people often focuses too much on treating just the physical symptoms or using only one type of treatment (like medication). However, many health issues are complex and influenced by psychological and social factors as well. So, there's a need to shift towards a more comprehensive approach that takes into account all aspects of a person's life.
• Benefits of the Paradigm Shift


  • By addressing all aspects of a person's life, treatment can be more tailored and effective
  • Considering psychological and social factors can lead to improved health outcomes and overall well-being
  • By addressing underlying issues, the shift can help prevent future health problems from arising
  • The shift empowers individuals to take control of their health and make positive changes in their lives
• Child abuse


  Physical, sexual, emotional, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or a caregiver that results in actual or potential wrongful harm to a child and can occur in a child's home, or in organizations, schools, or communities the child interacts with.
• Forms of child abuse


  • Physical Abuse
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Neglect
• Notions of Children and Childhood Indigenous Knowledge and Practices: Health and Healing


  • Connection to Nature: Indigenous cultures often view children as integral parts of their communities and the natural world. Children are seen as interconnected with their environment, and their well-being is linked to the health of the land, water, and ecosystems.
  • Traditional Practices: These communities often rely on traditional practices passed down through generations to promote the health and well-being of children. This includes rituals, ceremonies, and teachings about childbirth, parenting, and healing.
  • Holistic Approach: Indigenous cultures typically take a holistic approach to health and healing, considering the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of a child's well-being. Healing practices may involve traditional medicine, herbal remedies, and spiritual ceremonies.
  • Community Support: There's a strong emphasis on community involvement and support in indigenous approaches to children's health. Elders, healers, and community members play important roles in providing care, guidance, and support to children and families.
  • Cultural Resilience: Despite historical challenges and injustices, indigenous cultures have maintained resilient systems of knowledge and practices related to children's health. These practices reflect cultural strengths, resilience, and the importance of preserving traditional ways of life.
• Forms of Exploitation


  *Child pornography

  *Trafficking

  *Online grooming

  * Abuse within institutions
• Child abuse can occur in various form


  * Physical abuse

  *Emotional abuse

  *Sexual abuse

  * Neglect
• Indigenous cultures typically take a holistic approach to health and healing, considering the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of a child's well-being. Healing practices may involve traditional medicine, herbal remedies, and spiritual ceremonies. 


  • Holistic Approach
• • Community Support


  There's a strong emphasis on community involvement and support in indigenous approaches to children's health. Elders, healers, and community members play important roles in providing care, guidance, and support to children and families.
• Cultural resilience


  Despite historical challenges and injustices, indigenous cultures have maintained resilient systems of knowledge and practices related to children's health. These practices reflect cultural strengths, resilience, and the importance of preserving traditional ways of life.
• Cultural resilience


  Despite historical challenges and injustices, indigenous cultures have maintained resilient systems of knowledge and practices related to children's health. These practices reflect cultural strengths, resilience, and the importance of preserving traditional ways of life.
• Psychopathology


  Is the study usedused of mental and social orders and is also referred to mental illness
• Adolescence


  A phase of life between childhood and adulthood, best defined by the local terms Pagbibinata and Pagdadalaga
• Adolescence


  • A time of extensive changes occurring in the various facets of human development
  • When Filipino males and females explore intimate and sexual relationships
• Characteristics of Adolescents


  • Growth (physically and mentally)
  • Self-discovery
  • Identity Exploration & Formation
  • Sexual Attraction
  • Peer Influence
• Barkada


  A term used in the Philippines to describe a social circle of people, 3 or more that are bound by friendship
• Role of Barkada


  • Peers can influence adolescents' decision to have sex, with females often conforming to perceived norms
  • Provides a setting for exploring romantic interests and facilitates friendships with the opposite sex
  • Intimate self-disclosure among friends in adolescence fosters self-worth, social skills, and security for future close relationships, setting the stage for positive romantic connections
  • Peer groups provide adolescents with a source of social activities and support
• Paglabas


  The action of going out together, which is a common term used among Filipino adolescents, particularly in rural areas, to refer to dating or spending time together in a romantic context
• Purposes of Paglabas


  • Recreation
  • Companionship
  • Status grading
  • Socialisation for personal and social growth
  • Sexual experimentation and satisfaction
  • Partner selection
  • Intimacy
• Kami Na


  Used to verbalize the existence of a committed relationship, where "kami" connotes "being one with the other" and denotes the merging of individualities and identities
• Libog


  • Conceptualized by adolescents as something biological, characterised by bodily sensations that trigger arousal and create tension, which needed to be released/addressed, sexual urges
  • A strong feeling of sexual desire
• Casual sex


  The practice of engaging in relatively indiscriminate sexual activity, in general with someone who is not a spouse, or a friend, in exchange for immediate money or other prostitutions may be male, female or transgender, and prostitution may entail heterosexual and homosexual activity, but most sex workers have been women and most clients men
• Cybersex


  • Connecting with people
  • May lead to a partner or friend for life
  • Losing your inhibitions: Anonymity can be a powerful aphrodisiac
  • Cybersex is the safest of "safe sex"
  • All of the satisfaction, none of the disease
  • Exploring your Sexual Self
• Toma at Droga


  Defined as "mildly or moderately distressing activities, frequently self-destructive", which often progress to increasingly risky behaviours
• Control, Curiosity, Gratification


  • Adolescents often feel they lack control over their feelings and partner's actions, with females accepting this and submitting to their partners' demands
  • Males experience lack of control due to gateway behaviors like alcohol or drugs, which can trigger sexual excitement and inhibit logical thinking
  • The expectation of gratification are other factors that contribute to the decision to have sexual intercourse, according to male adolescents
• Katawan: Mass media content often creates unrealistic expectations of the adolescent body, increasing dissatisfaction and risk
• Myths about fertility, STIs, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy, contraception, and protection persist, hindering sound sexuality decisions
• Adolescents often lack knowledge about their bodies, leading to curiosity and reliance on peer and mass media sources
• Top five risk conditions confronted by young people

  • Domestic violence/violence in intimate relationships
  • Lack of access to adolescent reproductive health services
  • Lack of education on sexuality and reproductive health
  • Adolescent unsafe/risky sexual activities and behaviours
  • Mental health issues and problems (i.e. depression and suicide ideation)
• Panganib


  Denotes negative outcomes of risk-taking
• Pagsubok and pakikipagsapalaran


  Mean taking risks without definitive consequences
• Adolescents often use panganib to describe sexual risks, viewing them as negative factors that hinder functioning and rights protection