Application Centers will be set up in 10 provinces under the "Revealing Sexual Exploitation of Children Project" led jointly by the Health Ministry and the Rehabilitation Association for Homeless Children.

Professor Doctor Oguz Polat, the head of the Rehabilitation Center for Homeless Children, said sexual exploitation, in every shape and form, psychologically damages children and causes them to lose confidence in the world and in themselves.

Polat underlined the fact that the negative effects of sexual exploitation last for a very long time. He explained that the new project has been devised to end the silence about sexual exploitation, to raise awareness among families and the society about the issue, and to help those who have been subjected to sexual exploitation to cope with the aftermath.

Training programs to be held at the centers

Polat added that it is not possible to give exact figures on the frequency and prevalence of sexual exploitation:

"All children may potentially face sexual exploitation," said Polat. "Sexual exploitation is the most covert form of abuse. Sexual exploitation has long-term negative psychological effects on children. Such incidents concern both the family and the society. It is a fairly recent development that we are now talking about sexual exploitation."

Prof. Dr. Polat said application centers will be set up in the provinces of Diyarbakir, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Mersin, Adana, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Samsun and Elazig. A "Child Sexual Exploitation" hotline will also be available. He added that there will be training programs for doctors, police and local officials. (KO/AD/EA/YE)