Our Vision
The Garden of Hope (GOH) provides specialized services to children and teens who have been victims of sexual exploitation and harassment, witnessed domestic violence, or gone through pregnancy. We have a long-term commitment to their rights and wellbeing.
GOH has been providing services to pregnant teens and teenage parents for over twenty years, such as by helping over 2,500 teen girls make decisions about giving birth, teaching them parenting skills, supporting their returns to school/work, and assisting them in starting a married family life. Over the course of our work, we have seen a discrepancy between the related prevalent stereotypes held in society and our firsthand experiences. Despite the difficulties teen mothers face in their families of orientation and the community at large, we have seen them work hard to care for their children and support their families to the fullest. Therefore, other than advocating for the government to provide financial and policy support for teen parents, GOH also calls on the whole of society to support and create a friendly environment for pregnant teens and teen parents.
Due to such major cases involving sexual images of children, such as the Nth Room case in Korea, the authorities have examined whether the current Child and Youth Sexual Transaction Prevention Act sufficiently prevents the risk of such crimes. GOH stands with and actively contributes to the protection of children’s rights, sharing its views and resources as needed so as to guarantee the rights and interests of those we serve.
Legal and Policy Advocacy
Besides supporting crime prevention, we aim to use our expertise in trauma to connect with child victims and advocate for changes to legal policies to protect the fundamental rights of children:
1.A safe residence for children who have left home:
Shelters that take in children who have left home should prioritize the children’s safety. Private organizations have sought to establish temporary spaces to take in these children, but they may be sued by the parents. We look forward to related laws being relaxed so that children are not put in dangerous situations after leaving home.
2.The destigmatization of teen parents:
In our work with teen parents, we have found that the stereotypes in society surrounding teen parenting are not the reality. Despite the lack of resources they receive from their families of orientation, communities, and society at large, these parents nonetheless work hard to look after their children and support their families. Thus, in addition to advocating for the government to formulate policies that allocate more resources to teen parents, we call on all of society to work together to create a friendly and supportive environment for them.
3.Underage sex: education in place of punishment:
GOH advocates for the decriminalization of underage sex, effectively replacing punishment with education. Consensual sex should not be dealt with through punishment by criminal law but by providing educational counseling and support in accordance with the Gender Equity Education Act and the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act. We must also promote public education on the issue of underage sex and sex/gender equality education in schools and communities. This includes educating young people on sexual development and promoting gender equality from a young age. This is what is required to build a diverse, gender-equal society together.