Child Sex Tourism FAQs

What is the problem?

An estimated 2 million children worldwide — some as young as 5 years old — are enslaved in the global commercial sex trade. Many are forced, coerced, or tricked into prostitution. “Child sex tourism,” the practice of traveling to another country for the purpose of having sex with children, exacerbates the commercial sex trade.

Some sex tourists are pedophiles, specifically seeking underage boys and girls. Others may be traveling for legitimate reasons, but decide to “experiment” with the sex trade. Health concerns and myths about AIDS transmission in children also creates an increased demand for younger victims. Who are the most vulnerable children? Although children from all social and economic backgrounds are at risk of sexual abuse, those most vulnerable live in economically depressed situations.

Street children are particularly vulnerable, as they have very few resources and networks to turn to for protection. Children in poverty-stricken countries can be more vulnerable if their families are desperate for income.

Where is child sex tourism most prevalent?

Economically marginalized children are at highest risk of being lured into the sex trade and developing countries have increasing sex tourism problems. Countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are popular destinations for sexual predators because of the number of sex tourism venues in operation and the large pool of potential victims who can be easily lured or forced into the sex trade. Additionally, in some countries, local law enforcement tends to be inadequately funded and/or corrupt.

Are Americans involved in child sex tourism?

It is estimated that U.S. citizens account for 25 percent of child sex tourists worldwide, and as high as 80 percent in Latin America. Essentially, these predators are taking advantage of victims whose only “crime” is being poor and vulnerable.

How is World Vision combating this problem?

As part of its commitment to protect children, World Vision joined forces with national governments, law enforcement agencies, and other organizations to combat child sex tourism. World Vision's Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project (CSTP) addressed this problem through deterrent messages, assistance to law enforcement agencies, and prevention programs. The project operated from 2003 to 2007 in six countries:

>	The United States	>	Brazil
>	Mexico	>	Cambodia
>	Costa Rica	>	Thailand

The project currently operates in Cambodia and Thailand with funding from World Vision offices around the world.

What is World Vision doing to discourage sexual predators?

World Vision placed a variety of deterrent messages in the U.S. and abroad to inform travelers of the legal consequences of having sex with minors in any country. These messages include:

> Signs in U.S. airports > Television ads > Billboards and street signs overseas

> Airline in-flight videos > Magazine ads > Internet banners

How does this project fit in with World Vision's core mission/competencies?

World Vision exists to help children experience life in all its fullness. Protecting children from all forms of exploitation is essential to World Vision’s mission.

How does World Vision coordinate with the U.S. government to protect children?

World Vision collaborates with the U.S. government to protect children through many of our programs. For example, the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided funding for the CSTP Project. We also assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by helping to identify Americans that are sexually exploiting children overseas and, when available and appropriate, provide information that can be used in the prosecution of these sex offenders. In addition, we have significantly increased ICE’s visibility overseas through its deterrence campaign.

Although World Vision and U.S. ICE are separate organizations with very distinct missions, our goals overlap in the area of child sex tourism prevention. In addition, World Vision staff are trained to identify children who are being exploited, and work with appropriate authorities to help them regain their childhoods.

How is the U.S. government helping to combat the problem?

Since 1994, federal law has prohibited US citizens from having sex with minors abroad. In 2003, the U.S. PROTECT Act greatly assisted law enforcement agencies in prosecuting Americans who sexually abuse children overseas by the following measures:

>	Increases imprisonment penalties to 30 years for convicted sex tourists;
>	Criminalizes persons or organizations that assist or organize sex tours;
>	Better enables federal prosecutors to convict offenders by modifying burden of proof requirements;
>	Establishes parallel penalty enhancements that apply to the production of child pornography overseas.

U.S. ICE actively enforces this law by arresting U.S. citizens, both in the United States and abroad. The Department of Justice has prosecuted numerous offenders. The U.S. State Department also pushes governments around the world to tackle this problem.

Since the PROTECT Act of 2003 was passed, 67 Americans have been arrested for sexually abusing children in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Russia. To date, 47 of those cases have resulted in convictions while the rest are still being prosecuted.

What about children who have already been victimized in the commercial sex trade?

World Vision provides services and shelter for street children and other youth at high-risk of being forced or lured into the sex trade. These programs include:

> Residential treatment shelters to care for abused children
> Psychological and health care
> Street children shelter programs
> Trade-school scholarships
> Informal education programs

How does World Vision's work in local communities abroad help reduce the exploitation of children?

Children from impoverished families are more likely to be tricked, sold or lured into exploitive labor and sexual exploitation, and poor governments are less equipped to handle this crime. Falsely perceived as a "victimless crime," prostitution is often given especially low priority.

Through long-term development programs, World Vision has taken significant steps to reduce poverty and create opportunity and dignity for millions of families. As the ability of these families to care for themselves increases, opportunities for exploitation decrease.

What is the relationship between World Vision and national governments?

World Vision seeks close relationships with host governments to support their efforts to protect their own children. Through the CSTP Project, for example, World Vision worked closely with the governments of Thailand, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Mexico, and Brazil to combat the sexual exploitation of their children.

What resources has World Vision committed to directly combating child sex tourism by Americans?

World Vision received almost $2 million in funding for the Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project, including $300,000 in private resources, a $800,000 U.S. State Department grant and a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, project management and creative work such as ad and Web site design was done in-house, at a substantial savings to the project.

What can you do to help stop child sex tourists?

>	Raise awareness about this issue in your church, community, school or workplace.
>	Pray for victims and the abusers.
>	Advocate for increased resources to protect children from trafficking and exploitation.
>	Report an American sex tourist, if you have information regarding a person who has sexually exploited a child.
>	Become a Child in Crisis Partner. For $20 a month, you can help one child after another escape a life of horror.
>	Contact local newspapers and radio/TV stations to urge them to do a story on this issue.