How Many Sex Tourists, How Many Victims? Reflections No 557, 13 October 2011
Submitted by FatherSean on Fri, 10/14/2011 - 15:50.
How Many Sex Tourists, How Many Victims?
Fr Shay Cullen's columns are published in The Manila Times,
in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and online.
Fr Shay Cullen's columns are published in The Manila Times,
in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and online.
The recent Philippine Tourism Congress avoided a hot subject - sex tourism. This is the scourge that is causing endless abuse and exploitation of women and children. It is also destroying the moral and family values of this country and damaging the name of Philippine tourism. Some Philippine officials have hotly disputed a statistic mentioned by the US Ambassador, Harry K. Thomas, Jr, that 40% of men coming as tourists to the Philippines are sex tourists. The Philippine officials raising a storm, are embarrassed that the ugly shameful truth has come out.
The exact figure may never be known, but can anyone prove 40% is not true? And is any percentage acceptable? The evidence is clear, the sex bars and clubs are filled with foreign customers and thousands of young women and even minors are for sale. The Ambassador, to end the controversy over his remark, said he regrets it, but he should not, it highlights a shocking reality - the truth of widespread sex tourism.
When it comes to such blatant crimes against women and children, denial, silence and indifference is a form of consent and is unacceptable. Church and State have to speak out and act more decisively to end this destructive industry that is widely tolerated. It is the major cause of the trafficking of persons in the Philippines. 'Our faith is dead when there is no action for the needy' (cf James 2: 14-26).
The Preda Foundation gives free legal assistance and shelter to victims of sex trafficking. The case of two daughters, 12 and 14 years old, trafficked and sold as sex slaves by their parents to two foreign sex tourists at an Olongapo beach got no justice. Despite strong evidence of guilt, the case was dismissed on a technicality. In another case, two children were made sex slaves at ten and eleven years old for four years by two American sex tourists in Olongapo City. They got no justice either and one has been abducted. The two child abusers, a father and son from California, went free and escaped when the law enforcers failed to present the evidence.
The sex tourists lie, bribe and go free. They are the big spenders and coddled by authorities. Sex tourism, ignored by officialdom, is the scourge that spreads HIV-AIDS, moral depravity, child abuse, incest, abortion, abuse of women and corruption throughout Philippine society. Many victims fill the children's refuge centers seeking help, crying for justice. Thousands more victims are left to suffer. The sex industry is damaging the good name of the nation.
The US Ambassador was making an important speech appealing to judges to give more basic justice for the trafficked, exploited and oppressed women and children. The lack of justice in the Philippines is like people without food, it can drive many to violence. It has kept this nation at war with itself and has fostered an insurgency that can only end when corruption ends and justice is done speedily, fairly and with integrity. Then peace will reign.
What percentage of sex tourists can be tolerated, if not 40% of all arrivals? 10% of 3.5 million tourists is ok? For me and many more people of conscience who respect the dignity of women and children, even one act of rape, child abuse and sexual exploitation is one too many.
The estimated number of children alone trafficked or lured into the sex trade is said to be between 60,000 to 100,000 children, a statistic that most non-government agencies and UNICEF stand by. The number of women trafficked could be ten times that. In the Olongapo area, a research project learned that 5000 women are working in the sex trade in that city and nearby Subic Town.
In its July 2011 edition, The Reader's Digest, known for its meticulous research, shows a chart of human trafficking worldwide and says that 500,000 Filipino women and children are trafficked to the United States and other nations every year. So how many more victims are trafficked internally from the poor regions of the Philippines to the cities and sex tourist resorts? Visit the bars and many thousands will be found.
These bars and clubs are managed by foreigners, and they offer the victims for sale in modern slavery auctions operated with a Mayor’s license and permit proudly displayed. Is this government approval? The sex tourism and the bars are a blight on the nation and must be closed down. Instead, human rights must be respected and work with dignity and fair wages must replace them. END
I want to share something...No to SEX TOURIST!!!(Prostitution)
This articulation was shared by one member of YSAGE (Youth and Students Advancing Gender Equality)-Philippines Joevannie Divinegrace via email....
legalization of prostitution.... We long for an equal society and we were
educated in school to promote awareness among the social issues happening
around us .We were educated if not to minimize then we were expected to take
part in the eradication of the problem....and one of the problem is prostitution.
It was never a nest of money as people say but an arena of
exploitation and abuse not only for women and children but men also.
further....the youth which is a fruitful force of positive change will be led
to a pit of destruction because of the alternative way of earning money
through legal prostitution. If this will be legalized then we will expect for
the worst scenario of our country.. Imagine women who are innocent of their
rights are being abused?...Come on.. lets open our eyes .....lets be sensitive
in the felt need of these people who are victims because they themselves are
not in favor for this.
like a child that keeps on wishing and dreaming for a better world... and that
world is a world free of abuse and exploitation... pag ganun na lang na kahit
saan may naaabuso at pinagsasamantalahan...... ano pa ang silbi nang paglago ng
kaalaman.... at ano pa ang silbi ng edukasyon na nagbibigay liwanag sa lahat .
Huwag na lang paaralin ang mga bata kung ang solusyon sa kahirapan ay
prostitusyon by choice hindi pala edukasyon. O di kaya parang pwede na rin gumawa ng kurikulum sa skul
para may tatawagin na rin tayong
professional prostitute.nakakagigil! . Eh kasi nga magiging legal na .... eh kumikita . eh di profession na ang tawag doon sabi pa
nga ng mga hindi nag-iisip the oldest profession daw ang prostitusyon. Tinawag ba namang profession
ang prostitusyon.
children,pre-schoolers,nursery,kindergarten,elementary high school college and
out-of school youth and even professionals get abused anywhere you glance if
you are thinking about legalization of prostitution. Na sa bawat sulok ay
nagkakaroon ng mahahalay at nakakapanlumong eksena ng panggagahasa .
child being abused and victimized in any circumstances because of legalization
of prostitution.
legalization of prostitution is offering. Dont we dare to accept it or one of
our reasons of existence which is to love
our neighbor through respecting their rights will be put to nothing...
'Let us weigh things up. Could we imagine the scenario when prostitution will be legalized? May God enlighten the mind of our leaders and also to those people who pursue this horrible Sex TOURISM and PROSTITUTION'.Present generation, Please, look back to our next heir.
"If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants"
- Sir Isaac Newton
commen
thnks for posting
Our Indifference is a form of consent
I agree with Father Shay's statement that, "...When it comes to such
blatant crimes against women and children, denial, silence and
indifference is a form of consent and is unacceptable..." The problem is truly existing and we cannot just go on denying or covering it up. Our government should recognize the problem and be then moved to do something. They should face the truth that exploitation have been happening. The demand side should also be addressed because if men would continue to think that they should be buying and 'using' women and that they have the right over women, then those who are gaining from the business, will ensure that the supply will be steady. They will traffick women for sexual exploitation. Women should not be treated as commodities. Prostitution is violence against women and children. We should save our women. We should criminalize the buyers and those who are running the business...
"For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and future."
-Jeremiah 29:11-
what does the future hold for these women
"If you are neutral in the face of injustice, you have taken the side of the oppressor" as Bishop Desmond Tutu had said. I heard that from Fr Niall O'Brien so many times. Just this morning I was disturbed to read an online news about a Japanese migrant in Australia whose virgnity was being sold online for a few thousand dollars. My heart breaks at the thought of all these exploitation and abuse being done to the women of this generation. Just imagine what the future holds for all of us if these crimes continue to be committed.
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