Students were taught how to say no to sex during an ATPD seminar to help reduce human trafficking and youth prostitution.
As many as 200 students, teachers, representatives from child protection centers and social security officials attended the May 30 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division’s “18 Don’ts Seminar” at the D’Varee Hotel in Jomtien.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Kornchai Klaiklueng, commander of Thailand’s Human Trafficking Suppression Division, chaired the seminar and talked about the recent shift in society’s mores and the effect social media is having on youths.
Kornchai said social media makes human trafficking harder to detect. Society has changed as well, as young people tend to splurge on brand name products instead of saving. They fall into debt and are lured into prostitution and selling drugs by promises of easy money and getting rich quick. He said pregnancy rates of women under 18 is on the rise, which he also blames on social media.
The seminar was part of a nation-wide attempt to reduce these threats through establishing projects, holding seminars, and training social workers and authorities.
Students were taught to say no, avoid conversations with strangers, and how to react when invited or persuaded, how to distance themselves from potential risks and to reduce their time on social media. The aim is to refocus their attention on sports and recreational activities.