Dimension of Self-Concept of Csec at Preda Home for Girls
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Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
INTRODUCTION The increasing number of women and children being trafficked and commercially exploited is one of the many problems the Philippines have when it comes to children’s welfare is. Economic globalization, internationalization, and free trade have brought with them many benefits and as well unanticipated set of social problems. Among them is the dramatic rise worldwide in the incidence of child exploitation. Among the most virulent forms of this exploitation is child sexual exploitation (CSE) - including their commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Child pornography, juvenile prostitution and trafficking in children for sexual purposes have emerged as significant problems in the national, regional, and international stages. So, too, has child sex tourism. CSE and the CSEC appear to be related in complex ways with other forms of child exploitation, such as the use of children in labour, drug and warfare settings. According to End Child Prostitution (ECPAT), child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, the commercial sexual exploitation of children consists of criminal practices; that demean, degrade and threaten the physical and psychosocial integrity of children. There are three primary and interrelated forms of commercial sexual exploitations of children: prostitution, pornography and trafficking for sexual purposes. Other forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children include child sex tourism, child marriages and forced marriages. The definition and understanding of CSEC, and its many forms, have evolved in recent years in accordance with greater analysis and newly acquired knowledge. For the purpose of this study, the term CSEC is the term used to collectively refer to the children who were exploited for sexual purposes and other related means as a term used commonly by most government and non-government bodies. The term CSEC is also used to refer to the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The commercial sexual exploitation (CSEC) is definitely a grave violation of children’s rights. These rights were guaranteed under the international covenant ratified by many countries including the Philippines. The United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Children of 1989 prohibits such act of exploitative labour and other forms of child abuse. Unfortunately, the CSEC problem in the country is continually mounting with younger girls and even boys becoming victims in the more diversified means with the aid of technology. The US State Department retained the Philippines this year in the Tier 2 watch list of countries who failed to meet universal standards to curve human trafficking, a common line of attack to commercially exploit children. According to the report “the Philippines is a source country, and to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women and children who are subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced prostitution and forced labour,” (2010) but only few convictions were achieved and the problem still flourished. Nevertheless, the recovery of victims is still of utmost importance. The situation is brought about by many factors rooted in the culture and practices of Filipinos and in the way society views children. There is widespread poverty, unemployment and underemployment, and lack of livelihood opportunities. Because of poverty, there is lack of education and, therefore, children cannot develop their full potentials. There is no awareness of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, and of Philippines laws protecting children. There is weak delivery of basic services and ineffective implementation of pertinent laws due to lack of funds, budget misappropriation and graft & corruption. The government lacks political will in combating CSEC, giving it insufficient attention and action. The media is insensitive in handling CSEC issues, with reportage aggravating the trauma of CSEC victims. The unsympathetic and misguided opinions of society stigmatize the condition of CSEC victims and survivors. In other countries, they have been identified several aspect leading to child sexual exploitation such as: 1) the use of prostitution by runaway and thrown away children to provide for their subsistence needs; 2) the presence of pre-existing adult prostitution markets in the communities where large numbers of street youth are concentrated; 3) prior history of child sexual abuse and child sexual assault; 4) poverty; 5) the presence of large numbers of unattached and transient males in communities--including military personnel, truckers, conventioneers, sex tourists, among others; 6) for some girls, membership in gangs; 7) the promotion of juvenile prostitution by parents, older siblings and boy friends; 8) the recruitment of children by organized crime units for prostitution; and, increasingly, 9) illegal trafficking of children for sexual purposes to the U.S. from developing countries located in developing Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and Central and Eastern Europe. The case histories of child sexual exploitation victims often reveal a continuum of abuse, frequently starting with abuse by a family member or a friend. Then, the adult abuses the child regularly. Third, the abuser seeks other children. Fourth, photographs/videos shared and sold via Internet. Lastly, the children were kidnapped, and sold for prostitution and sex tourism. A study on recruitment, based on a survey of child and youth service providers and interviews with officials at governmental and nongovernmental organizations, estimated that pimps control about 50 percent of the girls engaged in prostitution in the United States. Pimps scout bus stations, arcades, and malls, focusing on girls who appear to be runaways without money or job skills. Pimps (prostitute’s agent), or their procurers, befriend the children by showing affection and buying them meals, clothes, jewellery, or video games in exchange for sex. Eventually, pimps use the children’s emotional and financial dependency to coerce them into selling sex for money that is turned over to the pimp. In time, the relationship becomes less emotional and more “contractual” as the pimp sets a minimum on the child’s earnings. In one case, for example, a pimp recruited girls from Vancouver, British Columbia, and took them to Hawaii, withholding their papers so they could not leave. The girls were drugged, handcuffed, and told that if they did not comply, photographs of them engaging in sex would be sent to magazines or to their families. (2004) There are several government and non-government organizations offering care and shelter to CSEC victims’, but with increasing number of CSEC these recovery facilities are not enough. In Central Luzon, Peoples’ Recovery and Empowerment Development Assistance (PREDA) foundation is one of the leading organizations in the rescue and recovery of CSEC. PREDA has a beautiful Home for girls overlooking Subic Bay. The Home can accommodate up to 30 girls. A big challenge, however, to PREDA and perhaps to many child care facility for CSEC is the way of understanding and coping with the changing emotional conditions of these is children, considering the trauma they suffered from their experienced of being exploited. The researchers believed that through this study, the patterns of behaviour of CSEC; specifically their dimensions of self-concept will be documented and interpreted for the better comprehension of PREDA staff handling CSEC and for the benefit of other facilities caring for CSEC. This study would also want to help CSEC to have an in-depth awareness and a better understanding of their self-concept; encourage the betterment of the individual as a whole; thereby, developing a more positive outlook and healthy dispositions in life; and in the community level, a more positive social perception on cases related to commercially sexually exploited children.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY This part of the research includes the theories and propositions of psychologists, sociologists and researchers that provide better insight and understanding of the study, specifically on the dimensions of self-concept. These theoretical propositions shall also serve as the foundation of the study. Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology Theory Adler believed, all people are born with physical inadequacies, which make young children feel inferior to those around them. As a result, people commit very early in life to rid themselves of these feelings of inferiority. There are, however, two ways to overcome those feelings: striving for success and striving for superiority, the latter of which is less mentally healthy. Psychologically healthy people, Adler wrote, will attempt to overcome feelings of inferiority by instead striving for the success of mankind. Other people, by contrast, will strive for superiority without regard for anybody else. The more healthy approach is more socially concerned while the other shows more interest in socially non-productive personal achievement. Although the desire to strive for success and superiority is partially innate, according to Adler, the behaviour must be developed by the social environment. A person's personality and the manner in which he or she strives for success or superiority is motivated more by expectations of the future than by understandings of the past. Adler referred to these important future expectations as "fictions" because they only represent the person's subjective perception of reality. Instead of reality providing the impetus for action, Adler thought that the perception of future reality is the inspiration for action. In history books, Adler is often cited as founding the school of "individual psychology." This term refers to Adler's belief that every person is essentially unique and has a personality unlike anybody else. For this to be the case, then, a person's character must remain consistent and directed toward one very distinct goal or purpose. Some may object to this notion on the grounds that a person can act unpredictably, which would undermine the theory that all of a person's behaviour is motivated by a single purpose. In response, Adler explained that behaviour that appears inconsistent is actually an unconscious attempt to confuse other people. The term "social interest," as used by Adler, means a unity with humanity or a membership in a social community. According to Adler, social interest is fundamental to human survival because without it, parents would not care for their children and the human species could not sustain itself. Social interest plays a crucial role in moderating the effects of genetic predispositions toward certain personality traits. Adler understood that by the age of about five-years-old, a child's heredity has gone as far as it can, and innate predispositions are moderated by the social environment. For him, the extent of social interest in a child was the most important measure of his or her psychological health. Adler teaches that humans, including children are social beings and that human behavior is motivated by interpersonal relationships. According to Adler, the goal of all people, including children, is to belong in a social group or setting. Adler believed that humans want to be useful in a group to achieve a high level of “social interest” or “sense of community”. Alfred Adler focused plenty of his work on children and the need for children to feel a sense of community as well as how social interest relates to a child’s behaviors and misbehaviors. When Adler coined the German term “gemeinshaftsgefühl” or the English translation, “social interest”, he created a name for the innate drive to cooperate and work with other people for the common good. The following behaviors as being associated with a sense of community and social interest: helping, sharing, participating, respect, cooperation, compromise, empathy and encouragement. Adler’s psychological teachings stressed a balance where individuals can achieve their personal goals in ways that also increase the welfare of a greater community. Adler believed that parents and teachers should foster social interest in children from an early age by giving children tasks that help children contribute to the whole family or a greater group. As well as teaching children skills to be independent, Adler stressed that parents and teachers need to teach children skills to be useful to others. Children as young as three years can be trained to do simple household jobs that help another family member or help the family as a whole. Although training and supervising children to do chores takes time, Adler believed that children would develop a higher level of social interest or sense of community if children were given opportunities to contribute to others regularly. When children feel a sense of community with their family or classroom, they are less likely to misbehave because their primary need (of belonging to the group) is being met. Alfred Adler preached that pampering children was extremely unhealthy for them, both socially and emotionally. Also, as children contribute to their family or classroom, they learn and acquire tangible skills for daily living as well as the intangible skills of confidence, teamwork, cooperation and ownership. Social interest is fundamental to the psychological teachings of Alfred Adler, who taught that a sense of community is key to mental health for children and adults. According to Adler’s view, if children can learn the values of social cooperation and community feeling, then they are more likely to stay mentally healthy throughout life. To Adler, a person's "style of life" was basically his or her personality, including goals, self-concept, and social interest. By about the age of five, Adler believed that the style of life is pretty well established in a child. The most psychologically healthy people have a style of life that is complex and flexible and express social interest through action. Although style of life is influenced in large part by heredity and the environment, Adler believed that each person has his or her ability to create a distinct personality. He referred to this personal control over the development of style of life as "creative power." It is this creative power that separates people as individuals with unique personalities. Erich Fromm’s Humanistic Psychoanalytic Theory Erich Fromm, in his book, The Art of Loving, was as beautifully clear as anyone when he described self-concept as “life being aware of it”. Self-concept may be defined as the totality of a complex, organized and dynamic systems of learned beliefs, attitudes and opinions that each person holds to be true about his or her personal existence. Self-concept is different from self esteem, the feelings of personal worth and level of satisfaction regarding one’s self; or self-report, what a person is willing and able to disclose. Central to Fromm's world view was his concept of self as social character. Fromm saw basic human character stemming from our existential frustration of being a part of nature, while needing to rise above nature through our reasoning and ability to love. The freedom to be unique individuals is fearful, so human beings tend to surrender to authoritarian systems. Fromm extolled the virtues of people taking independent action and using reasons to establish their own moral values rather than adhering to authoritarian norms. Human beings have evolved into beings, conscious of themselves, their own mortality, and their powerlessness before the forces of nature and society, and no longer united with the universe as they were in their instinctive, pre-human existence as animals. According to Fromm, the awareness of a disunited human existence is the source of all guilt and shame, and the solution to this existential dichotomy is found in the development of one's uniquely human powers of love and reason. Fromm distinguished his concept of love from popular notions of love to the point that his reference to this concept was virtually paradoxical. Fromm considered love to be an interpersonal, creative capacity rather than an emotion, and he distinguished this creative capacity from what he considered to be various forms of narcissistic neuroses and sado-masochistic tendencies that are commonly held out as proof of "true love." Indeed, Fromm viewed the experience of "falling in love" as evidence of one's failure to understand the true nature of love, which he believed always, had the common elements of care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge. Fromm also asserted that few people in modern society had respect for the autonomy of their fellow human beings, much less the objective knowledge of what other people truly wanted and needed. Carl Rogers’ Person - Centered Theory By far most influential and eloquent voice in Self-concept theory was that of Carl Rogers, who introduced an entire system of helping built around the importance of the self. In Rogers’ view, the self is the central ingredient in human personality and personal adjustments. Rogers described the self as a social product, developing out of interpersonal relationships and striving for consistency. He maintained that there is a basic human need for positive regard both from others and from oneself. He also believed that in every human person there is a tendency towards self-actualization and development so as this is permitted and encouraged by an inviting environment. Central to Roger’s personality theory is the notion of Self-concept. This is defined as “the organized, consistent set of perceptions and beliefs about oneself.” The self is the humanistic term for who we really are as a person. The self is inner personality, and can be likened to the soul or Freud’s psyche. The self is influenced by the experiences a person has in their life, and our interpretations of those experiences. Two primary sources that influence our self-concept are; childhood experiences and the evaluation by others. According to Rogers, we want to feel, experience, and behave in ways which are consistent with our self-image and which reflect what we would like to be like, our ideal self. The closer our self-image and ideal-self are to each other, the more consistent or congruent we are and the higher our sense of self-worth. A person is said to in a state of incongruence if some of the totality of their experience is unacceptable to them and is denied or distorted in the self-image. The humanistic approach states that the self is composed of concepts unique to once self. The self-concept includes three components: Self-worth or self-esteem, what we think of ourselves. Rogers believed feelings of self-worth developed in early childhood and were formed from the interaction of the child with the mother and the father. Self-image, how we see ourselves, which is important to good psychological health. Self-image includes the influence of our body image on inner personality. At a simple level, we might perceive ourselves as a good or bad person, beautiful or ugly. Self-image has an effect on how a person thinks, feels, and behaves in the world. Ideal self, this is the person who we would like to be. It consists of our goals and ambitions in life, and is dynamic – forever changing. The ideal self in childhood is not the ideal self in the adolescence and even in the adulthood.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY
The research study entitled “Dimensions of Self-Concept of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) at Peoples’ Recovery and Empowerment Development Assistance (PREDA) Foundation, Home for Girls in Olongapo City.”; was guided by the Close Input-Process-Output Conceptual Framework shown in Figure 1. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: The INPUT included the personal related variables of the respondents. These include (a) age, in order to determine if the chronological age has a relationship with their dimensions of self-concept; (b) birth order, in order to find out if their specific ordinal position in the finally may have any relationship with self-concept; (c) family profile, to be able to know if their specific family settings may affect self-concept; (d) specific CSEC case; to know if the varied experiences of the respondents in terms of the categories of their CSEC case may show significant bearing in their self-concept; lastly, (e) length of exposure to CSEC case, if time of the contact experience can be a significant factor in the development of the respondents’ self-concept. The PROCESS consisted of the methodologies, psychological instruments and several statistical tools and procedures that will aid in determining the respondents’ dimensions of self-concept. These included the (a) administration of the standardized psychological examination; (b) personal interview and indirect observation of the behaviours and practices of the respondents; and, (c) statistical treatment of the data gathered and the analysis and interpretation of the data gathered. The OUTPUT consisted of the achieved objective of the study which were; An in-depth awareness and a better understanding of one’s own self-concept. The betterment of the individual as a whole; developing a more positive outlook and healthy dispositions in life and a more positive social perceptions on cases related to commercially sexually exploited children.
RESEARCH PARADIGM Input Process Output
OUTPUT
Feedback
Figure 1
A Paradigm showing the Conceptual Framework of the Study
Using the Feedback Loop
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The study is focused on the “Dimensions of Self-Concept of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) at Peoples’ Recovery and Empowerment Development Assistance (PREDA) Foundation, Home for Girls in Olongapo City.” Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of their: 1. present age, 2. ordinal position, 3. family profile, 4. highest educational attainment, 5. specific CSEC case involvement, and; 6. length of exposure to CSEC case prior to admission to PREDA?
2. What are the respondents’ dimensions of self-concept as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Test? 2.1 physical self, 2.2 moral ethical self, 2.3 personal self, 2.4 family self, 2.5 social self, and; 2.6 the general self-concept levels.
3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and their dimensions of self-concept?
STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS This study has this hypothesis presented in a null form, either for acceptance or rejection once the result of the study is determined. There is no significant relationship between the levels of self-concept and the selected personal related variables of the respondents.
LOCALE OF THE STUDY This study is conducted with the assistance of PREDA Social Development Foundation focusing on the research materials, articles, documentary films and actual experiences of PREDA staff in the rescue of children sexually exploited, trafficked and prostituted from the hell like situations in brothels, bar and streets.
PREDA Foundation, which is a non-profit organization, has a child – care facility for young girls who are taken out of the unbearable sex slavery for therapy and reformation. The agency is a two time Nobel Peace Price Nominee which was founded in 1974 by an Irish Missionary Priest Father Shay Cullen and two Filipinos’, Alex Corpuz Hermoso and Merly Ramirez. PREDA has various projects aimed at the empowerment of individuals and providing therapy, protection and care to children who are victims of abuse, neglect and imprisonment.
PREDA’s motto is to “help people help themselves” and to work for a system of justice that will empower women and children and the poor to protect their rights. Also one PREDA’s mission is to support marginalized producers with development assistance through Fair Trade. PREDA has its own archive of documents, articles, studies conducted research papers and reports documenting the plight of commercially sexually exploited children and for them not to be discriminated.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study was conducted to gain an in-depth insight and better understanding about the Dimensions of Self-concept of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children at PREDA Foundation, Home for Girls, Olongapo City. Acquisition of a better awareness and enhanced knowledge of the mentioned psychological variables are expected to benefit the following: The Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC). Having considered them as the main focus and interest of this research, the result of this study aims to provide them with a much better understanding of their personalities, their individualities and their other capacities for growth and development. They are considered not only as mere participants, but as well, partakers to whatever gains that can be achieved from this research. Helping them improved and maximizes other potentials that could help them better integrate with a more complex community. The Society. The study aims to give to the members of the society a clearer view of the underlying dynamics and differences in human attributes and behaviours. The utmost intent of this research is to promote the betterment of the society and the community as a whole. That, the result of this investigation will allow the society to realize how invaluable each members and help them accept the realities of life and deal the atrocities of life with much hope and vigour. Furthermore, it aims to promote a society characterized by non-prejudicial accommodation and a more manageable co-existence of each member. Psychologists, Counsellors and Researchers. This group of people may utilize this research as a guide or resource material once they viewed this material relevant to their fields. This study aims to contribute to the already profound knowledge and data base of information which may be helpful in the practice of the professions. The results of this study can further help in the shaping a whole rounded professionals towards effectiveness in addressing the needs of their clients and the excellent provision of related services. Teachers. The study will help them understand the performances, predispositions and behaviours of their students, which might be the result of either, negative and positive concept of the self. Their able determination and evaluation of their students’ desires to be more socially accepted will enable them to effectively coach and facilitate students in their pursuit of personal and academic excellence. The teachers can also effectively adjust their strategies in teaching and instructions. Students. The study aims to help the learners understand both the simplicity and the complexities of the psychological variables being investigated, that is self-concept levels. An awareness and understanding of these variables will better help them improve their pursuit of knowledge, and as well, improve their views about themselves and create a more meaningful intra and interpersonal relationships.
SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This study is a Descriptive research of the Dimensions of Self-concept of the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) at the Peoples’ Recovery Empowerment and Development Assistance (PREDA) Foundation, Home for Girls in Olongapo City. It will include the 18 CSEC cases presently managed and being taken care of at the PREDA Foundation.
DEFINITION OF TERMS For the sake of clarity of terms and understanding of the readers, the following operational definitions are provided. Attitude. It pertains to the state of mind, the predisposition for actions. Any belief or opinion that includes an evaluation of some object, person or event along a continuum from negative to positive and that it predisposes a person to act in a certain way toward that object, person or event. Behaviour. It includes a variety of personal actions such as things we do or say. Conformity. It is doing and thinking as others, behaviour or thought that is socially acceptable or expected. It is the following of standard, compliance with a fixed standard, regulation, or requirement. Commercially Sexually Exploited Children. Is the term used to collectively refer to the children who were exploited for sexual purposes and other related means as a term used commonly by most government and non-government bodies. The term CSEC is also used to refer to the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Family Self. It reflects one’s feelings of adequacy, worth and value as a family member. It refers to the individual’s perception of self in reference to his closest and most immediate circle of associates. Interpersonal. It is how the individual interacts and deals with others. Intrapersonal. It is how the individual deals with himself; self-management. Moral Ethical Self. It describes the self from a moral-ethical frame of reference – moral worth, relationships to God, feelings of being good or bad person and satisfaction with one’s religion or lack of it. Negative Self-Concept Level. This refers to an individual’s negative and less acceptable view and evaluation of one’s self. A person who has a negative self-concept tends to be less accepting of one’s intra and interpersonal limitations, strengths and weaknesses; maintaining a pessimistic assessment of his over-all capacities and restrictions; at times acting out an unenthusiastic and unconstructive behaviours due to his depressive evaluation of conditions or situations that makes him to dispense a impractical to adverse disposition. Neutral Self-Concept Level. This refers to an individual’s average or “just enough” view and evaluation of one’s self. A person who maintains neutral self-concept tends to hold the middle of the road assessment of the conditions or situations that allows him to dispense acceptable dispositions with the tendency to commit minimal errors due to loose or rigid evaluation of the self. Minimal success can be achieved due to the individual’s non reflexive behaviours often characterized by egocentric perceptions. Personal Self. It reflects the individual’s sense of worth, feeling of adequacy as a person, and his evaluation of his personality apart from his body or his relationships to others. Physical Self. In here, the individual is presenting his view of his body, his state of health, his physical appearance, skills and sexuality. Positive Self-Concept Level. This refers to an individual’s positive and acceptable view and evaluation of one’s self. A person who has a positive self-concept tends to be more accepting of one’s intra and interpersonal limitations, strengths and weaknesses; being able to maintain a more realistic assessment of his over-all capacities and restrictions; and to act appropriately to conditions or situations that allows him to dispense a healthy disposition. Self-Concept. It is the way a person sees himself. It consists of theories and generalizations about one’s self. It is made up of many self-perceptions, abilities, personality characteristics and behaviours that are organized so as to be consistent with one another. It is how the individuals look at himself. Social Desirability. It is inclination to present oneself in manner that will be viewed favourably by others. It is the defensive tendency of an individual to respond in a manner consistent with societal norms or beliefs. Social Norms. This is the generally accepted and observed behaviours that the majority of the population viewed as normal and or acceptable of a given responses. Social Influence. It is when the actions or thoughts of individual(s) are changed by other individual(s). This is the effect of other people’s influences on a person’s behaviour. Social Self. This is another “self as perceived in relation to others” category but pertains to “others” in a more general way. It reflects the person’s sense of adequacy and worth in his social interaction with other people in general.
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An in-depth awareness and a better understanding of one’s own self-concept.
The betterment of the individual as a whole; developing a more positive outlook and healthy dispositions in life.
More positive social perceptions on cases related to commercially sexually exploited children.
1. Data gathering procedures.
2. Personal interview and indirect observation of the behaviours and practices of the respondents.
3. Administration of the standardized psychological examination.
4. Statistical treatment of the data gathered.
5. Analysis and interpretation of the data gathered.
1. Profile of the respondents in terms of their:
1. present age, 2. ordinal position, 3. family profile, 4. highest educational attainment, 5. specific CSEC case 6. length of exposure to case prior to institutionalization.
2. Assessment of the Dimensions of Self-Concept levels of the respondents.
1. physical self, 2. Moral ethical self, 3. Personal self, 4. family self, 5. social self, 6. General 7. self-concept
3. Significant Relationship between the Respondents Dimensions of Self-Concept levels of the respondents.
