Sex tourism
Sexual exploitation in travel and tourism is increasing in an interconnected and globalized, and it is becoming harder to manage and solve. Sex tourism is when “sex tourists” travel to other countries to buy sex from vulnerable women, girls from vulnerable poor and marginalized communities. It does not only involve tourists but also business travelers, migrant/transient workers and others.
Equality Now is doing the following to end sexual exploitation in travel and tourism:
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Equality Now: Impact on tackling sexual exploitation in travel and tourism
1996: TAKING ON BIG APPLE ORIENTAL TOURS
We campaigned to shut down Big Apple Oriental Tours, a New York City-based company exploiting women and girls in the Philippines and Thailand. In 2007, our efforts led New York to amend its anti-trafficking law, which gave police the tools to prosecute sex tour operators. After many investigations, we helped convict the company’s co-owner Douglas Allen of promoting prostitution in 2013.
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2003: PASSING FIRST US STATE LAW AGAINST SEX TOURISM
We began our campaign to shut down Hawaii-based sex tour operator Video Travel, a company exploiting women and girls in Thailand. Our campaign and legal support inspired Hawaii to introduce and pass the first state law to criminalize sex tourism. Video Travel’s proprietor had his travel agency license revoked and is no longer allowed to operate in Hawaii.
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2005: CALLING ON THE US GOVERNMENT TO END SEX TOURISM
We called on the US government to stop sex tourism and to investigate GF Tours, a company exploiting women in Southeast Asia. We lobbied for stronger enforcement of federal anti-trafficking laws, which make sex tourism a crime, to shut them down. Due to our efforts, GF Tours removed graphic content from its materials.
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