Tourism to Be Aware of Domestic Pedophiles

VIVAnews - Child sex tourism (CST) does not only interest foreign pedophiles, but it also attracts domestic pedophiles. Tourism is not the main cause of child commercial sexual exploitation (ESKA), but, apparently the violators take advantages from the facility offered by the travel agents, hotels, restaurants, or other tourism sector services and use it to facilitate their crimes.

It is based on the research done in several areas, which have potential for CST, such as in Jakarta, Bali, Lombok, and Batam. The United Nation World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) strictly prohibits child exploitation in tourism as stated by the director for Tourism Resources and Development of the Culture and Tourism Department I Gusti Putu Laksaguna during the Southeast Asia Conference on Child Sex in Sanur, Bali.

To prevent the spread of this crime, his department will continue on increasing the number of training for tourism workers to prevent CST.

The workers, for example, are trained to increase sensitivity. If there is a foreign tourist walks in holding hands with a local children, the hotel staff should be aware and investigate the relation of the two.

"This approaching technique will be taught, so it [CST] will not harm the tourism world," he explained.

He objected that CST could be interpreted as a tourism product like eco-tourism. "We will ask UN-WTO to choose a more appropriate term and avoid misconception," he said.

There have been at least 60,000 children who have been victimized by pedophiles.

According to the National Coalition for Ending Child Sexual Exploitation, Bali is still a desired destination for pedophiles. The fact is revealed after recent arrests of a pedophile in Bali were carried out. 

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Coverage by: Wima Saraswati | Bali

Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman