In pictures: Spain's Queen Letizia helps raise awareness of human trafficking problem during appearance at Costa del Sol conference

The royal was in Malaga to attend the annual meeting of national and international experts that seeks to put an end to sexual exploitation

Antonio M. Romero

Malaga

Friday, 29 September 2023, 12:17

Queen Letizia was in Malaga on Thursday this week to open the second International Conference on Human Trafficking, which this year is focusing on sexual exploitation.

Spain is the European country with most demand for the services of prostitutes and ranks third in the world. Last year alone, some 1,180 victims of trafficking and exploitation were released in Spain by the authorities. The queen's presence was designed to give more visibility to the issue.

Imagen principal - In pictures: Spain's Queen Letizia helps raise awareness of human trafficking problem during appearance at Costa del Sol conference — Salvador Salas

Imagen secundaria 1 - In pictures: Spain's Queen Letizia helps raise awareness of human trafficking problem during appearance at Costa del Sol conference — Salvador Salas

Imagen secundaria 2 - In pictures: Spain's Queen Letizia helps raise awareness of human trafficking problem during appearance at Costa del Sol conference

The city conference discussed topics such as prevention, awareness, international cooperation and the role that new technologies are playing in capturing victims or to perpetuate domineering behaviour towards people.

Celia Pontiga Garrote, an expert in trafficking and gender violence, warned of how access to pornography from mobile phones is the gateway for a large number of young people, especially men, to the world of prostitution consumption.

"The latest studies show the age of 11 as the average at which children begin to watch pornography. This figure is alarming because they copy relationships based on power, where women are treated as an object," said Potiga Garrote, who said that education and prevention is "key" to solving the problem.

In Malaga province this year, 236 cases of sexual exploitation of women have been identified.

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