No excuse: Sex with children is a crime

CHILDREN have rights.

Around the world and in countries like the Philippines, sex tourism is a lucrative industry whose growth is driven by the demand for children in tourist destinations.

Child sex tourism is the sexual exploitation of children by a person or persons who travel from one place to another to have sexual contact with children. Often, child sex tourists travel from a richer country to one that is less developed, or they may be travellers within their own countries or region. Child sex tourists take advantage of their anonymity as well as the socio-economic disparities in the locations they visit.

The Philippines has long been a regular target of foreign men seeking sex with children and is regarded as one of the “traditional” CST destinations. It has become the focus of media and child rights activists that resulted in arrests of foreign tourists for sexual crimes against children.

Child sexual exploitation is a violation of the rights of the child. Sexual exploitation is never the choice or the fault of the child. The child is treated as a sexual object and as a commercial object when sold or traded into prostitution. At this very minute, a child may be suffering from an actual abuse.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child protects all children under the age of 18, from all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation.

The Philippines has stringent laws which criminalize sexual abuse of children under the age of 18. The Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act (RA 7610), the Anti-Human Trafficking Law (RA 9208), and the Anti-Child Pornography Act (RA 9775) ensure the protection of children from all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation.

Say NO to Child Sex Tourism! (Nemric Kiel Umali)