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U.S./BALKAN LEADERS TO ADDRESS CRISIS OF CHILD ABDUCTION, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) announced today that the first U.S./Balkan Forum on Missing and Sexually Exploited Children will be held in Athens, Greece on Oct. 10. The meeting will address the global problem of missing children, child abduction, and the sexual exploitation of children, including child trafficking and child pornography on the Internet. Participants will discuss ways nations can work together to better protect children and keep them safe.

Representatives from governments and NGOs from ten Balkan countries will be attending, including Albania, Bosnie-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia, as well as representatives from the United States. The forum will be hosted by the U.S.-based International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, together with Greek NGO The Smile of the Child.

The problem of missing, abducted and sexually exploited children is large, under-recognized and underreported. The full extent of the problem worldwide is not yet known. However, it is clear that the numbers are growing. In the U.S. alone, 800,000 children are reported missing each year, including 58,000 who are abducted by non-family members. In the United Kingdom 105,000 children are reported missing each year, 50,000 in Germany, and 39,000 in France.

The problem of child sexual exploitation has reached the crisis stage. An estimated 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually victimized before they reach the age of 18, and only 1 in 3 will tell anyone about it. That translates to millions of children, most of who do not report the abuse and do not get help.

An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked annually around the world, with trafficking of both adults and children representing a roughly $10 billion-a-year industry. Some estimates conclude that half of trafficking victims are children.

Child sexual exploitation has exploded with the advent of the Internet, and Internet child pornography has become a multibillion-dollar commercial industry. A 2006 review by ICMEC of the laws of 186 member countries of Interpol uncovered alarming results – that 95 countries had no law at all on child pornography and 137 nations do not consider it a crime to possess child pornography. Only 28 countries have laws comprehensive enough to make a significant impact on the crime.

“Governments and organizations in every country need to work together across international borders to protect children from being victimized,” said Ernie Allen, president and CEO of ICMEC. “We are optimistic that the dialogue we will create in the Balkans will foster greater cooperation and save children’s lives.”

Other participants in the day-long forum will include representatives from various international organizations, including Missing Children Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Interpol, the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program.

ICMEC has developed model legislation and continues to work with governments around the world to strengthen child pornography laws and to ensure that child pornography is a universally punishable offense. The organization has also held training in 105 countries to provide tools and techniques to enable law enforcement in any country to effectively investigate and prosecute online-facilitated crimes against children.

International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children
The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children is a private, nonprofit 501(c) (3) nongovernmental organization. It is the leading agency working on a global basis to combat child abduction and exploitation. It is the sister organization of the U.S.-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. For more information visit www.icmec.org or call 001 703-837-6111.

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MEDIA NOTE: The forum is closed to the news media, but media are invited to attend the keynote lunch speech.

WHO: Baron Daniel Cardon de Lichtbuer, Chairman of the Board International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children

WHAT: U.S./Balkan Forum on Missing and Sexually Exploited Children Keynote lunch speaker

DATE: Wednesday, 10 October 2007

TIME: 12:45 PM

LOCATION: Hotel Grande Bretagne, Ballroom C, Constitution Square, 105-63 Athens, Greece

MEDIA CONTACT: United States: David Egner or Barbara Petito. media@ncmec.org and 001 703-837-6111, or 001-703-837-6251, or 703-837-4623. Greece: Sherry Bailey 001 703-298-8282