What is Sex Tourism?
Sex Tourism is defined as an activity that entails individuals engaging in both national and international travel in order to participate in sexual activity considered to be both illegal and unethical in those individuals’ respective nations or countries of residence. Due to the fact that both the age of consent, as well as permissible sexual activity varies on both a locational and jurisdictional basis, Sex Tourism was perceived to facilitate individuals in their respective engagement of travel in order to both undermine and exploit contrasting legislation and statutory systems.
Sex Tourism Fact #1: International and Legal Jurisdictions
Although the legislative policy that exists on an international level prohibits individual countries or nations from enacting justice within the borders of other countries or nations, the Sex Tourism epidemic has spawned an international collective effort undertaken by a bulk of international governments in order to combat Sex Tourism; this includes:
The instatement of international legislation such as ‘Operation Predator’, which consists of preventative measures resulting in international investigations and extraditions with regard to individuals apprehended in foreign nations participatory in Sex Tourism
A combined international effort demanding the investigation and cessation of brothels considered to cater directly to Sex Tourism
Sex Tourism Fact #2: The Sex Tourism Industry
Sex Tourism is considered to be amongst the top 5 largest industries within the world that undertake illegal and criminal activities. Upon the release of statistics resulting from a study conducted by the United Nations, Sex Tourism and Human Trafficking is considered to rank as the third most prevalent criminal activity; only drug trafficking and arms dealing surpass Sex Tourism and Human Trafficking in their respective prevalence.
The Sex Tourism industry has been reported as victimized almost 2 million human beings on a global level
Recent studies show that both the Sex Tourism industry, which acts in concert with the human trafficking industry reports earnings of over $30 billion on an annual basis
Sex Tourism Fact #3: Victims of Sex Tourism
The victims of Sex Tourism are considered to range in both gender and ages; while forced prostitution and exploitation continue to affect millions of individuals, females are reported to comprise upwards of 80% of the victims of the Sex Tourism industry; furthermore, children and minors have been reported as comprising upwards of 20% of the victims of Sex Tourism, a figure considered to reach almost 2 million children victimized by Sex Tourism.
Sex Tourism Fact #4: Devastation Resulting from Sex Tourism
Sex Tourism not only serves as a means of exploitation of human beings, but it also results in the violation of human rights and freedoms. Studies released have illustrated that Sex Tourism is one of the most prevalent catalysts for the spread of teen pregnancy, but also the transmission of sexually-transmitted disease on both national and international levels. Furthermore, Sex Tourism accounts for the development of both mental and emotional disorders in its victims, which includes:
Suicide
Depression
Substance Abuse
Reporting Sex Tourism
In the event that you have been made aware of illicit sex tourism taking place, you are encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center immediately; you can do so by contacting them via telephone: (888) 373-7888.