Between Poverty and Sexual Violence

At the session on Family and Childhood: Between Poverty and Sexual Violence a panel of presenters from Mexico spoke about the vulnerability that comes with living in poverty that makes children easier prey for perpetrators of physical and emotional violence. They explored various aspects of poverty and inadequacies in state measurements that rely only on income as an indicator. Having a supportive family life and peers is a stronger indicator of vulnerability than low income. Other factors like access to higher education, healthcare, and social services also need to be taken into account.  Young people and children living in poverty, without a supportive family system, without access to education, healthcare, and social services are classified as living in extreme poverty and are most vulnerable to predators in the real or virtual environment. Online bullying, grooming and exploitation as well as sextortion happens to those in extreme poverty, but also to those from families with a higher income but without adequate social supports. The immediate stigma of being victimized as well as long term psychological impacts need further study.