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Click here to find out how you can help in the battle against Child Sex TourismApproximately 1 million children are abducted, sold or coerced into commercial sex slavery every year, some as young as five years old. Sexually exploited children are
severely wounded physically and emotionally and many acquire diseases such as HIV/AIDS. U.S. citizens are among those who travel abroad to exploit children trapped in the sex trade. Sex tourists expect anonymity,
low-cost prostitution, easily accessible and increasingly younger children, and impunity from prosecution.World Vision is committed to:
- Preventing children from being drawn into the commercial sex trade by transforming communities and families through child sponsorships and interventions like education, advocacy, and the creation of other
means to make a living.
- Helping those who have already been victims of sexual exploitation by providing shelters and nurturing environments that offer rehabilitation and the chance to build a new life.
- Advocating for increased government accountability and compliance with international agreements that aim to protect children.
A Recent World Vision News Release
May 20, 2004
World Vision, U.S. Government Agencies Partner to Combat Child Sex Tourists WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. citizens who sexually exploit children while traveling abroad are the target of a new joint initiative launched by World Vision in partnership with the
U.S. Department of State and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This partnership is one component of World Vision's Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project introduced this year in Cambodia, Costa Rica,
Thailand and the United States
Worldwide, an estimated 2 million children are trapped in the commercial sex industry. Many of these children, some as young as five years old, live in poor countries that receive
foreign tourists who come to sexually exploit children. An estimated 25 percent of these "child sex tourists" are from the United States.
"This program is intended to deter U.S. citizens from
exploiting children overseas by sending a clear message that offenders risk significant prison time for their actions," said World Vision's Joe Mettimano, director of the Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project.
"For those who don't heed the project's deterrence message, World Vision is assisting ICE in their work to identify and prosecute child sex tourists from the United States."
Some of those who engage in
child sex tourism are pedophiles who regularly travel abroad for the purpose of having sex with children. But many of these men travel for vacation or legitimate business purposes, but decide to experiment with the
local sex trade.
Michael J. Garcia, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement added, "ICE's Operation Predator targets those who exploit children. By
partnering with humanitarian groups like World Vision, we enhance our law enforcement abilities overseas. We're sending a message to these individuals that if you prey on children - whether in the U.S. or abroad - you
will be brought to justice."
World Vision's Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project is now in operation in the United States and Cambodia and will begin in Costa Rica and Thailand in coming months. The
project's deterrence messages are being placed in the path of would-be sex tourists, including airports, in-flight videos on airlines, television, and roadside billboards in destination countries. Also, ICE is training
World Vision staff overseas so that the organization can provide the extra sets of "eyes and ears" to help ICE pursue these sexual predators.
"This project is a powerful example of public-private
partnership," stated John Miller, Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the U.S. Department of State. "The State Department is committed to combating the exploitation of
children overseas, especially by U.S. Citizens. Our partnership with World Vision helps us to work toward ending this scourge against children."
World Vision is bringing together national governments and law
enforcement from both the United States and sex tour destination countries to establish a united-front in combating the sexual exploitation of children. Non-governmental organizations and ordinary citizens are joining
in the cause.
"Sexual predators should no longer feel safe or immune from prosecution," World Vision's Mettimano said. "The partnership among non-governmental organizations like World Vision and
the U.S. Government are closing-in on these offenders and the days of impunity are coming to an end." |
