In response to the grave situation of child sexual abuse in Puerto Vallarta, renowned journalist María Antonieta Flores Astorga, in conjunction with the Integral Tourism Observatory (OTI), has unveiled a provocative book titled “The Beast that Devours Children.”
The book launch was held at the Armando Soltero Auditorium of the Centro Universitario de la Costa. OTI board member, Dr. Jorge Villanueva Hernández, emphasized the grave implications of such abuse for this popular tourist destination.
Astorga’s compelling narrative elucidates the distressing reality of child sexual abuse. The author explicates how it shatters the innocence of countless children worldwide, becoming a dire global issue. Astorga underscores the role of hundreds of organized crime networks in perpetuating this horror and profiting from the trafficking and exploitation of minors.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has, for over a decade, indicated that Mexico leads the world in child sexual abuse cases. The trend continues in 2023, with Mexico still holding this devastating ranking. Further, Mexico also ranks highly in the creation and export of child sexual abuse materials.
Sexual abuse, a horrifying and degrading experience, has reportedly affected more than 22 million people in Mexico, as stated by the PAS Foundation (Prevention of Sexual Abuse). Astorga’s book, however, is not about highlighting the victims or assigning blame. Instead, it seeks to spotlight societal responsibility to safeguard our children.
Astorga highlights the uncomfortable truth, “Pedophiles find it easy to kidnap, abuse, and manipulate minors, exploiting them as commodities, largely due to the prevalent culture of impunity.”
“Mostly, the abuse occurs in what should be the safest place for a child – the home. Family members are predominantly the perpetrators of such abuse. Home is where 70 to 90 percent of these heinous crimes occur,” Astorga adds.
Astorga’s work also delves into how pedophiles have made inroads into the internet. With 21 million minors between 6 and 17 connected to the internet, according to the National Survey on Availability and Use of Information Technologies in Homes (ENDUTIH), the digital world has become a dangerous place for them.
Without adequate supervision or internet filters, thousands of children fall victim to online predators. Astorga’s book urges everyone—parents, teachers, and society as a whole—to confront this issue head-on and work towards protecting our children from such abuse.
In response to the grave situation of child sexual abuse in Puerto Vallarta, renowned journalist María Antonieta Flores Astorga, in conjunction with the Integral Tourism Observatory (OTI), has unveiled a provocative book titled "The Beast that Devours Children."
The book launch was held at the Armando Soltero Auditorium of the Centro Universitario de la Costa. OTI board member, Dr. Jorge Villanueva Hernández, emphasized the grave implications of such abuse for this popular tourist destination.
