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Sex tourism is travel to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual activity with prostitutes, and is typically undertaken internationally by tourists from wealthier countries.
The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary purpose of effecting a commercial sexual relationship by the tourist with residents at the destination". (17-22 October 1995) "WTO Statement On The Prevention Of Organized Sex Tourism". Adopted by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization at its eleventh session - Cairo (Egypt), 17-22 October 1995 (Resolution A/RES/338 (XI)), Cairo (Egypt): World Tourism Organization. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. The U.N. opposes sex tourism citing health, social and cultural consequences for both tourist home countries and destination countries, especially in situations exploiting gender, age, social and economic inequalities in sex tourism destinations.U.N. Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) Gender Mainstreaming MandatesU.N. Congress On The Prevention Of Crime And The Treatment Of Offenders Press Release New Global Treaty to Combat Sex Slavery of Women and Girls
Attractions for sex tourists can include reduced costs for services in the destination country, along with either legal prostitution or indifferent law enforcement and access to child prostitution.
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National destinations for sex tourists include ThailandCruey, Greg. Thailand\'s Sex Industry. About: Asia For Visitors. About, Inc. (The New York Times Co.). Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “Nowhere else is it so open and prevalent.”, BrazilBrazil. The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “Brazil is a major sex tourism destination. Foreigners come from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Latin America, and North America ...”Gentile, Carmen J.. "Brazil cracks down on child prostitution", San Francisco Chronicle, Chronicle Foreign Service, 2006-02-02. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. "... young prostitutes strut in front of middle-aged American and European tourists ..." , Sri Lanka Sri Lanka - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004 (English). Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2005-02-28). Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... Boys and girls were victims of commercial sexual exploitation by pedophiles in the sex tourism industry ...” Child exploitation not new to stricken region (English). CNN. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... some resorts in Thailand and Sri Lanka, were so-called "sex tourist" destinations ...” Child sex tourism spreading in Asia (English). CNN. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... established sex tourist destinations like Thailand, the Philippines and Sri Lanka ...”, Dominican RepublicDominican Republic. The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “The Dominican Republic is one of the most popular sex tourism destinations in the world, and it is advertised on the Internet as a "single man\'s paradise."”Scheeres, Julia (2001-07-07). The Web, Where ‘Pimps’ Roam Free. Wired News. CondéNet Inc. Retrieved on 2006-12-20., Costa RicaKovaleski, Serge F.. "Child Sex Trade Rises In Central America", Washington Post Foreign Service, Washington Post Foreign Service, 2000-01-02. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. "... "an accelerated increase in child prostitution" in the country ... blamed largely on the unofficial promotion of sex tourism in Costa Rica over the Internet." Costa Rica. The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “...has come to rival Thailand and the Philippines as one of the world’s leading destinations for sex tourism.”, and CubaCuba. The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “Cuba is a popular destination country for sex tourists from Canada, the United States, and Europe.”Zúñiga, Jesús. Cuba: The Thailand of the Caribbean. The New West Indian. Retrieved on 2006-12-20..
An individual city or region can have a particular reputation as a sex tourist destination. Many of these coincide with major red-light districts, and include Amsterdam in the Netherlands; Zona Norte in Tijuana, Mexico; Boy\'s Town in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket in Thailand; Vladivostok in Russian Far East, destination for Japanese sex tourists Across the Siberian Wastes (English). Jim Rogers. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... swarms of Russian prostitutes and Japanese johns on sex holidays ...”, and Angeles CityFr. Shay Cullen (2005-03-03). Sex Tourism Is Big Money for Pimps and Politicians. imc-qc (philapinas). QC Independent Media Centre. Retrieved on 2007-04-08. “Angeles City, two hours north of Metro Manila, is the home of the most organized sex industry in the Philippines. Thousands of sex tourists from all over the world go there to look for cheap sex, much of it with under age minors.”, the site of a former United States military base in the province of Pampanga, Philippines.
In the United States, prostitution is largely illegal, with the exception of certain areas of the state of Nevada; these have become a sex tourist destination for some Americans. To a lesser extent, several other large cities in the U.S. are also domestic sex tourist destinations despite legal sanctions on prostitution.
Many of the Iraqi women fleeing the war in Iraq are turning to prostitution. In Syria alone, an estimated 50,000 refugee girls and women, many of them widows, are forced into prostitution to survive.\'50,000 Iraqi refugees\' forced into prostitution Cheap Iraqi prostitutes have helped to make Syria a popular destination for sex tourists. The clients come from wealthier countries in the Middle East - many are Saudi men.Iraqi refugees forced into prostitution High prices are offered for virgins.Desperate Iraqi Refugees Turn to Sex Trade in Syria
Conversely, prostitution is a legal activity in a growing list of other nations worldwide, including in many (but not all) of these destinations.
The primary destinations for female sex tourism are Southern Europe (mainly Italy, former Yugoslavia, Greece and Spain), the Caribbean (led by Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic), parts of Africa (Tunisia, Egypt, Gambia, KenyaClarke, Jeremy (2007-11-25). Older white women join Kenya\'s sex tourists. Reuters. Retrieved on 2007-11-30. “Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex.”), Pattaya or Phuket in Thailand. Lesser destinations include Nepal, Morocco, Fiji, Ecuador and Costa Rica. Female sex tourism differs from male sex tourism, in that women do not usually go to specific bars. Women usually give clothes, meals, cash and gifts to their prostitutes, but not all (especially in Southern Europe) expect compensation.
Federal law (see PROTECT Act of 2003) prohibits United States citizens or permanent residents to engage in international travel with the purpose or effect of having commercial sex with a person under the age of 18, or any sex with a person under the age of 16; facilitating such travel is also illegal. Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement are becoming common; however, prosecutions under this law are still very rare.
As of 2005, there has been one effort to prosecute a sex tour operator: Big Apple Oriental Tours of New York was prosecuted for "promotion of prostitution" by the New York State Attorney General after lobbying by feminist human rights groups, however the case has been thrown out twice.
HR 972, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 reauthorizes the 2000 law, but it also gives U.S. law enforcement better tools to study human trafficking within the United States and to prosecute those who purchase sex acts. The measure authorizes $50 million for grants to state and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute persons who engage in the purchase of commercial sex acts.Full copy of HR 972
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 enables British citizens and residents who commit sexual offences against children overseas to be prosecuted in the UK.http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1100182470588 Some of the offences carry penalties of up to life imprisonment and anyone found guilty will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The UK police and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre and Interpol are actively involved in monitoring child sex tourists and will prosecute where necessary.
Witnesses can report it to the local police, hotel manager, tour representative or tour operator. People can also call Crimestoppers. The calls are completely anonymous. Overseas the number is +44 800 555 111. Witnesses can also call Crimestoppers when they return to the UK, the number is 0800 555 111 a cash reward may be available.
Canada has included in its Criminal Code provisions that allow for the arrest and prosecution of Canadians in Canada for offences committed in foreign countries related to child sex tourism, such as child prostitution, as well as for child sexual exploitation offences, such as indecent acts, child pornography and incest. Convictions carry a penalty of up to 14 years\' imprisonment.http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/pubs/child_endure-en.asp
University of Leicester sociologists studied this subject as part of a research project for the Economic and Social Research Council and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking campaign. The study included interviews with over 250 Caribbean sex tourists.Sex Tourism in the Caribbean by Jacqueline Sanchez Taylor, University of Leicester. Chapter for Tourism, Travel and Sex, eds. Stephen Clift and Simon Carter, 1999The New West Indian Sex tourists: survey Among their findings:
Canadian film makers have been active at reporting on sex tourism. Documentary titles include:
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