Sex tourism is a worldwide phenomenon that supports sex trafficking, one of the largest criminal industries. Sex tourists can be charged with a variety of crimes, including prostitution and child pornography.
Child sex tourism is particularly damaging. It robs children of their dignity, as well as their lives. It also destroys the moral standing of countries where it occurs and fuels vices like drug trafficking and human trafficking.
Definition
Sex tourism is travel planned specifically for the purpose of sex to a place where commercial sex work (prostitution) is legal. It differs from casual sex during travel with locals, which is not necessarily exploitative and can be healthy for both partners. It also differs from sex with children, which is almost always non-consensual and illegal, and can lead to sexually transmitted diseases like HIV infection and gonorrhea.
Sex tourists are men and women of all ages who go to places where prostitution is legal in order to have sexual encounters. They often come from wealthy countries to poor ones, and many of them conceal their true identities, both in their home country and in the destination where they go. In many cases they are only interested in sex, but others want more than that. They want a relationship or even marriage, and they are willing to pay for it.
This type of sex travel contributes to the development of vice industries and it destroys moral standing in destinations. It also promotes human trafficking, exploitation of women and children, and other vices that damage family life and society in general. This practice needs to be regulated in order to stop it. This is the only way to prevent it from destroying families and communities in other parts of the world.
Locations
Sex tourism is prevalent in places where prostitution and sex with minors are legal. It is one of the largest criminal industries in the world. Many of the people involved in sex tourism are not there of their own free will, and the majority are female. It has been reported that many of them suffer from a range of health and mental issues, such as depression.
Amsterdam is perhaps the most well known destination for sex tourism. The city is famous for its red light district, and it draws tourists from all over the world to enjoy the pleasures on offer. It is estimated that the industry brings in around 5% of the Netherlands’ GDP.
In Asia, there is also a significant sex tourist industry, particularly in the Philippines. Angeles City is a popular destination with men who are looking for a ‘girlfriend experience’, where they pay a woman to be their girlfriend for a day, night or even a month. There are many Facebook groups and websites dedicated to this type of sex tourism in the city.
Other popular sex destinations include Thailand, The Gambia and various areas of the Caribbean. In countries where sex tourism is popular, the workers are often vulnerable and experience a range of problems, including sexually transmitted diseases. This is particularly true if they are working in an area where poverty is prevalent.
Types
Sex tourism can take many forms. It can involve paying for prostitutes in countries like the Netherlands and Colombia, or it can be more serious — including child sex tourism (CST). Other types of sex tourism include viewing sex shows and other sexually explicit entertainment, such as strip clubs or peep shows.
CST involves young children traveling to countries where the sex industry is thriving. These children are often recruited by human traffickers from poor rural areas, who sell them to international sex tourists. The children are abused and exploited to earn money for the parents and families back home.
Male sex tourists usually seek to escape from their materialistic lifestyles and wealthy homes in the West by pursuing women in impoverished countries. These men typically hide their identity and treat their sex partners as servants. Female sex tourists are often stereotyped as having low self-esteem and fantasies about men from the West, and they may also have a history of failed relationships.
Those who travel to sex destinations for casual sex with locals are at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Some of these STIs have become resistant to medications for treatment in some parts of the world, making it even more important that travelers use condoms whenever possible. Sex tourism can also contribute to the moral degradation of the society in which it takes place.
Impact
There are various ways in which sex tourism impacts society. For example, it has been found that sex tourists can increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI) among sex workers. In addition, sex tourists may be more likely to acquire HIV if they do not use protection while engaging in casual sex overseas.
The exploitation of women and children is another impact of sex tourism. The majority of child sex tourists are men, but female children can also be the victim of this type of exploitation. These sex tourists are usually foreigners who visit underdeveloped countries, such as Thailand or Cuba, to engage in sexual activity with child prostitutes or ‘mistresses’. The exploitation of these children is not only financially profitable, but it can also be psychologically damaging for the victims.
The practice of sex tourism also contributes to the commercialisation of human labour, which is a major driver of sex trafficking, one of the world’s biggest criminal industries. Moreover, sex tourism can lead to increased poverty and social inequality in destination countries as locals compete with foreigners for the sex market. Although it is a complex issue to tackle, there are steps that can be taken to combat the problem. These include educating travellers on the laws and customs of their destination country, avoiding establishments known to engage in prostitution, and supporting organisations that work to end sex trafficking.
