[Exclusive] Self-Reliance Support Funds for Youth Victims of Sexual Exploitation Under Budget Negotiation

Budget for Support Funds Upon Leaving Shelters Under Discussion
Ministry of Gender Equality and Family "Requests Inclusion," Ministry of Economy and Finance "Under Review"
Possibility of Increased Funding at the National Assembly Special Committ

Editor's NoteChild and youth prostitution is defined as sexual exploitation. This is because children and adolescents, whose sexual self-determination is not fully developed, cannot be regarded as parties capable of giving sexual consent or entering into contracts. Today, children and adolescents who quickly form relationships online through social media, messengers, and anonymous platforms are more easily drawn into sexual exploitation crimes than in the past. According to the Central Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center of the Korea Women's Human Rights Institute, one out of every four people (27.8%) who received support for digital sex crimes last year was a teenager. Compared to 2023, the number of teenage victims who received support from the center increased by more than 600 (a 3.3 percentage point rise). Sexual exploitation crimes against children and adolescents are clear cases of sexual abuse. This article examines whether there are ways to prevent such crimes and what concrete measures are needed, based on real-life cases.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is in the final stages of discussions with the Ministry of Economy and Finance to include self-reliance support funds for children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation in next year's budget proposal. Unlike those leaving shelters for domestic violence or sexual violence victims, children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation currently receive no self-reliance support funds when leaving protection facilities. In response to this issue, the government plans to allocate a new budget to actively support these victims. (Article dated April 26: [Exclusive] Zero self-reliance support funds for youth victims of sexual exploitation... Number of victims rising while support facilities are decreasing)

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is in final negotiations with the Ministry of Economy and Finance regarding next year's budget proposal. The budget will be submitted to the National Assembly on September 2. The proposed budget under discussion includes self-reliance support funds for children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation. An official from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family stated, "We are continuously requesting the Ministry of Economy and Finance to include a budget for self-reliance support for children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation." An official from the Ministry of Economy and Finance also commented, "It is under review."

A youth leaving the facility. DALL-E3

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family currently provides self-reliance support funds to some children and adolescents who use protection facilities upon leaving. Children and adolescents leaving shelters for victims of domestic violence or shelters for migrant women victims of violence receive 2.5 million won. Those leaving shelters for victims of sexual violence receive 10 million won in self-reliance support funds, plus a monthly self-reliance allowance of 500,000 won for up to five years.

In contrast, support facilities for victims of sexual exploitation offer neither self-reliance support funds nor self-reliance allowances, which has been criticized as unfair. In particular, as cases of youth sexual exploitation increasingly reflect unstable home environments and economic factors, there is a growing call for urgent support measures.

The number of children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation is increasing every year. According to the annual report (2024) published by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Korea Women's Human Rights Institute, the number of child and adolescent victims supported by 17 centers nationwide last year was 1,187, an increase of 235 from 2023. By age, the largest group was 14 to 16 years old with 582 victims (49.0%), followed by 17 to 19 years old with 405 (34.1%), and 10 to 13 years old with 73 (6.1%).

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has stated that even if the self-reliance support funds are not included in next year's budget proposal, it will make efforts to secure additional funding during the National Assembly's review process. The government budget submitted to the National Assembly is subject to final adjustments, including increases or decreases, by each standing committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. The ministry plans to request an increase during this process if necessary.

The self-reliance support funds for children and adolescents who have suffered sexual exploitation are also in line with the "Strengthening Support for Children, Adolescents, and Young People Victimized by Sexual Exploitation" action plan announced by the Presidential National Policy Planning Committee at the National Policy Report Meeting. An official from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said, "Securing additional budget is not an easy task," but added, "If it is not included in the budget proposal, we plan to provide further explanations at the National Assembly."

※ If you are experiencing difficulties due to digital sex crimes, domestic violence, sexual violence, prostitution or sexual exploitation, dating violence, or stalking, you can receive support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling the Women's Emergency Hotline 1366 (☎1366). For counseling related to child and youth sexual exploitation, anonymous one-on-one counseling is also available through the Korea Women's Human Rights Institute's youth counseling channel D4Youth (@d4youth).