SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Since gaining global attention in the 1980s, child sexual exploitation has been incorporated into a growing body of both soft and hard law at national, regional and international levels. This research analyses how the concepts of childhood, gender and sexuality are constructed and articulated within international discourse. It then applies Flat Law Theory to the case of Morocco in order to examine the interactions between international norms and the national context, including domestic law and cultural beliefs and practices, as well as the impact on policy and programmes addressing child sexual exploitation. It finds that although international discourse has a strong influence, Foucauldian sites of resistance can nevertheless be identified at the level of the state and society, which challenge international perceptions of gender and sexuality within the context of child sexual exploitation.