Child sex tourism trade gains a new enemy

According to UNICEF, 3 million minors are victims of sexual exploitation every year. A recent study found that at least 146 Canadian citizens have been charged with child sex offenses overseas between 1993 and 2007.

The study, by law professor Benjamin Perrin from the University of British Columbia, found that the offenders – mostly men – usually travel from a rich country to a developing region such as Latin America, an area which is growing in popularity and replacing southern Asia as the main destination for sex offenders due to its low cost and close proximity.

After an information forum on Child Sex Tourism coordinated by the International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR), Thomas Cook and SkyLink Voyages, agencies from the tourism and travel industry decided to act. In close collaboration with the bureau, representatives created a new campaign with the objective to dissuade potential abusers and encourage travelers to report suspicious behaviors while abroad.

The participants at the forum, including Vacances Tours Mont-Royal, Voyages Incursion, Jolivac, Thomas Cook, Canandes International Tours, Sunwing, Tours Chanteclerc, and SkyLink Voyages have all asserted their concern about the issue and are actively incorporating the campaign into their different channels of communication (email, contracts, itinerary, website, etc.).

IBCR believes that these partnerships will lead to further joint initiatives within the private sector.

“We plan on enforcing this educational campaign using informative pamphlets that will be distributed in airports and the consulate offices of the main travel destinations visited by Quebecers,” said Marco Sotelo, program manager for the Prevention of Child Sex Tourism at the IBCR. “If funds allow, we look forward to producing an in-flight video about Child Sex Tourism. Simultaneously, the IBCR will continue developing projects in these destinations in order to change the social tolerance surrounding this issue and hence close the circle of sexual exploitation.”

An industry united

Actions are not only being taken by the Canadian tourism community – even global players are doing their part. For instance, hotel giant Accor has instituted since 2001 a training program Accor to fight child sex tourism by increasing awareness among its guests and employees.

In 2008, nearly 11,700 Accor employees were trained worldwide to recognize a typical high-risk situation. These training programs were conducted in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore), Africa (Ivory Coast, Benin, Senegal, and Cameroon), Europe (Austria and Switzerland) and in the Caribbean (Dominican Republic).

By the end of that same year, Accor was a signatory to the Code of Conduct developed by ECPAT and the WTO in 38 countries where the Group operates

A larger concern

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists abusing minors abroad are not pedophiles who are only interested in young children. Rather, they are so-called “situational” offenders who have sexual relations with children because the opportunity arises through prostitution or family members.

Although most abusers would not do this in their daily lives, they utilize their anonymity and the favorable exchange rates of destinations to engage in sexual acts with minors. Consequently, a high proportion of exploited minors are between the ages of 12 and 16 years old. Victims are both girls and boys.

One of the main recommendations of the World Congress III against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents was to reinforce the collaboration between governments, NGOs, and the private sector in the fight against sexual exploitation.

In Canada, an extraterritorial law allows for the pursuit and prosecution of Canadians who commit sexual abuse on children abroad. Despite recent convictions, Child Sex Tourism and its consequences unfortunately remain fairly unknown among the Canadian population.

(Photo courtesy of Accor Hotels)