Increasingly, Flints resonates through its height development potential social and economic linked to tourismand not only as a statistic that counted it as one of the poorest provinces in the south. The arrival of visitors in a community that was mired in poverty for decades requires forceful actions to protect the most vulnerable: children and adolescents.
A study made by the organization Save The Childrenbased on a survey of 742 peopledetermined that 47% of Pedernalenses normalize relationships between minors and adults as an “opportunity” for resources, and 74.5% justify relationships between adolescents and adults in families that experience a situation of extreme poverty.
Furthermore, only 5.6% of the minors surveyed barely know three signs to identify abusewhile only 10.4% of fathers, mothers and guardians talk to their children about this topic or refer to the prevention of other forms of violence.
This context exposes the little ones to potential situations of violence, abuse and child sexual exploitation.
Given this, the Government launched this Friday the first national preventive strategy against the sexual exploitationan initiative that will have 800,000 euros of financing through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for the (Aecid) in order to protect the rights of more than 4,200 children and adolescents in this district.
Its executive director, Alba Rodriguezassured that the study Its purpose is to identify and analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices of fathers, mothers, caregivers, minors, authorities and private sector about the effective protection of boys, girls and adolescents against sexual exploitation commercial.
He indicated that he seeks to create “the first tourist destination with zero tolerance in front of the sexual exploitation concrete”, through the first “preventive and non-reactive” initiative that will manage cases through the National Protection System of the National Council for Children and Adolescents (Conani).
![[object HTMLTextAreaElement]](https://resources.diariolibre.com/images/2025/11/08/whatsapp-image-2025-11-07-at-80737-pm-f0108fc9.jpeg "In Pedernales, 74.5% justify unions of minors with adults")
Current risks
The existence of communities in a situation of extreme poverty acute and the proximity to the border line – also vulnerable – makes the reality of many infants and adolescents in Flints is exposed to:
- Homes where you experience abuse sexual assault and violence domestic
- Limited educational coverage and high rates of school dropout
- Migrant children who circulate on the streets and are in homes without company or with absent parents
- Lack of recreation areas, being exposed to public spaces where alcohol or other substances are consumed
This led to the identification of multiple cases of abuseas well as reports of early unionswith girls and adolescents being the most affected: 77% of them are relegated to traditional roles within the home and family and stereotypes persist in 30% of those surveyed that blame girls for their clothing or behavior.
“This reproduces narratives that displace the responsibility of the aggressor towards the victims,” Rodríguez remarked, which shows that the sexual exploitation commercial is a gender problem “with a marked profile of violation of the rights of girls and adolescents.”
Protection and security
To stop and, above all, avoid cases of sexual exploitation in the nascent tourist hub, the study contemplates a project that seeks to build a protection culture of the rights of children and adolescents with all the actors involved: fathers, mothers, guardians, authorities and employees of tourist areas.
This seeks to create the Local Protection System in the Prevention, Detection and Response to Violence and Commercial Sexual Exploitationwhich will require the articulation and training from institutions like Conanithe prosecutor’s office or the police.
Likewise, it is expected to mobilize the private sector already civil society around guidelines that protect their rights.
He program –in execution since July– will be closely linked to the tourist activity Red Cape–Flintsbut it will also integrate provinces and municipalities of the Enriquillo region.
Within Flintsthe territorial scope is expected to reach up to Red CapeLas Mercedes, Aguas Negras, Mencía, La Altagracia, Juancho and Oviedo.
Also, the provinces will be included Barahona, Independence (Jimaní municipality) and Bahoruco (municipality of Neiba) in this phase of the programwhich is intended to be a first model that can be replicated in other areas nationwide.
The impact
The executive president of Conani, Ligia Jeanette Pérez Peñaassured that this program was agreed “with the living forces of Flints“, who showed their satisfaction for an “unprecedented” protection project in that district.
He assured that of this program It is expected, in addition to the impact on more than 4,200 infants and adolescents:
- Raise awareness among 2,800 mothers and fathers and guardians about positive, emotional parenting practices and discipline without violence
- Train more than 1,800 tourism sector workers and contractors
“We will continue working to consolidate the national protection system and that responds to the protection requirements of those communitiesensuring that we form communities that take care of children and adolescents,” he remarked.
The initiative is carried out in conjunction with the National Council for Children and Adolescents, the Pro-Pedernales Trust and the Save the Children organization, with funds from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (Aecid).
