The IOM Office in Santiago and Chile’s National Office for
Assistance to Minors (SENAME by its Spanish acronym) are conducting
a study on the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in
the border province of Los Andes.

A national study carried out in 2003 found 3,719 minors victim
of sexual exploitation; 80% of them female. Over 50% of the victims
had not finished primary school.

The Los Andes Province, which shares a border with Argentina and
has the busiest land border in the country, is considered a high
risk area for human trafficking and migrant smuggling.  The
border crossing of Los Libertadores has the highest volume of
commercial truck traffic and tourist crossings from Argentina,
Brazil, Uruguay and other MERCOSUR member states.

Poverty and high unemployment are also prevalent in the
area.

Based on the findings of the new study, the IOM US-funded
programme will develop an information campaign and hold training
seminars to increase the capacity of local authorities, NGOs and
other organizations providing services for the victims.

IOM and SENAME are providing support to the Archbishop’s
Office of San Felipe in the management of a centre, which opened in
June, equipped to provide shelter to 25 minors at any given
time.  The centre offers psychological, medical and legal
support, and works with the minors and their relatives towards
family reunification.  So far the centre has assisted seven
minors, six of them were identified as victims of sexual
exploitation and one was a victim of trafficking.

For more information contact:

Gabriela Rodríguez

IOM Santiago

Tel: 56-2-274-6713

E-mail: "http://www.iomsantiago@iom.int">www.iomsantiago@iom.int