Pregnant and trapped: Guatemala’s child sex abuse crisis

In Guatemala there is a silent crisis of abuse and child pregnancies robbing a generation of their youth.

Unreported World reveals the stories of the young indigenous girls forced into motherhood after being raped and sexually assaulted. Isolated girls are particularly vulnerable, with no phone signal, and no neighbours.

In 2020, an average of 13 girls aged 10-14 became pregnant through rape in Guatemala every day. The cries of these young girls go unheard, reporter Anja Popp explores how the justice system appears to be failing these girls and learns that only three per cent of reported sexual violence cases are investigated.

Some girls are abandoned by their family due to shame with a few pressured to live with their abusers. But there are a handful of people and organisations trying to make a difference and teach young girls to understand their bodies and resist the cycle of abuse.

This episode contains testimony around sexual violence you may find distressing.

Producer/Director: Amy Gardner
Series Producer: Andy Lee
Executive Producer: Ed Fraser
Production Company: Channel 4 News

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