HEART OF THE STREET (HOTS) is a community group based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. HOTS works to improve the lives of local street children through raising public awareness amongst residents and tourists, on the issue of the child sex trade. The primary ways in which children are treated as commodities for sexual purposes are through child trafficking, child prostitution , child pornography, child sex tourism and early marriages.
Since the child sex trade causes the most physical and emotional trauma and destruction to the lives of these children, HOTS is committed to campaigning on this issue. HOTS was created to raise public awareness about the problem and to help mobilise the local public to take action to combat the child sex trade.
HOTS recognises the numerous intricate factors that help perpetuate the commercial sexual exploitation of street children living and working on the streets of Chiang Mai. Poverty in combination with social factors, gender relations and cultural norms keep many children trapped in a high-risk situation, and makes them vulnerable to child sex tourism and other sexual exploitation.
Thailand has a reputation of being ‘the sex capital’ of the world, therefore it also attracts many child sex offenders. It is this growing trend of foreigners coming to Chiang Mai seeking sexual favours from street children that is most alarming and unacceptable.
In 2006 HOTS began coordinating with various groups and individuals in the public and private sector. This was in preparation for the launch of the campaign in October 2006, entitled ‘Stop the child sex trade. Take action…..report offenders.’
HOTS is an ECPAT partner (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Child Trafficking for Sexual Purposes). HOTS also works with TRAFCORD (anti-trafficking coordination unit for Northern Thailand) the Chiang Mai Coordination Centre for the Protection of Child Rights and FACE (Fight Against Child Exploitation).
HOTS has the support of other local organisations also involved in addressing the needs of vulnerable children. The Volunteer Group for Children's Development (VGCD) and Open-Hand are some of these organisation that are in support of this campaign.
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HOTS members are made up of Thai and foreigners living in Chiang Mai. These members are from diverse professional fields including: artists, journalists, university professors, school teachers, musicians, theatrical performers, business people, NGOs and civil engineers.
