Group Campaigning To Stop Child Sex Industry

[churchill]

Group Campaigning To Stop Child Sex Industry

Child protection groups meeting in Thailand have warned the global economic crisis will make more children vulnerable to the sex trade.

The coalition, End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT), has launched a global awareness campaign to stop the roughly $US28 billion-a-year-industry.

Awareness programs are planned for villages right up to the highest levels of government.

In a report released Thursday in Bangkok, ECPAT warned that that increased poverty levels and rising desperation in developing and developed countries could put more children at risk of being trafficked.

It estimates that each year, 1.2 million children are forced into trafficking - much of it among neighbouring countries in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

As many as 80 percent of those young people are believed to end up in the sex industry

The report points out it is not just paedophiles who are contributing to the problem, but anyone who pays for sex could be unwittingly supporting child exploitation.

http://australianetworknews.com/stories/20...449.htm?desktop

[animatic]

These people get my vote 110%

[TAWP]

The report points out it is not just paedophiles who are contributing to the problem, but anyone who pays for sex could be unwittingly supporting child exploitation.

And here is a prime reason why many of these groups cannot be 110% supported without after-thought.

In my home-country they are currently trying to lobby that any pictures of any naked 'child', and the definition of child being raised to 18, to be a criminal act to posses. So anyone having photoalbums with their kids playing on a beach up online could run into major trouble.

What is needed is protection and support, not alarmist behavior with a prudent agenda.

[noahvail]

I applaud and support their efforts. http://www.ecpat.net/EI/index.asp

[buripuk]

These people get my vote 110%

Wow 28billion a year that's unbelievable.

[TPI]

Group Campaigning To Stop Child Sex Industry

Child protection groups meeting in Thailand have warned the global economic crisis will make more children vulnerable to the sex trade.

The coalition, End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT), has launched a global awareness campaign to stop the roughly $US28 billion-a-year-industry.

Awareness programs are planned for villages right up to the highest levels of government.

In a report released Thursday in Bangkok, ECPAT warned that that increased poverty levels and rising desperation in developing and developed countries could put more children at risk of being trafficked.

It estimates that each year, 1.2 million children are forced into trafficking - much of it among neighbouring countries in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

As many as 80 percent of those young people are believed to end up in the sex industry

The report points out it is not just paedophiles who are contributing to the problem, but anyone who pays for sex could be unwittingly supporting child exploitation.

http://australianetworknews.com/stories/20...449.htm?desktop

While I support the idea...it's pretty thin evidence that "anyone who pays for sex....". In Oz anti-paedophilia and anti-child abuse is a booming industry, with grandparents afraid to pick up their grandchildren in public and parents being charged with assault by their misbehaving children!

Trying to control a $28 billion black industry generates a lot of government grants but it's like urinating in a wetsuit...it gives you a nice warm feeling but nobody notices!

Just quasi-bureaucrats feeding at the trough!

[buripuk]

How do you think they come up with $28 billion as most of this industry is under the radar.

[stumonster]

but anyone who pays for sex could be unwittingly supporting child exploitation.

I would like to point out to them that anyone who engages in unprotected sex could be unwittingly supporting child exploitation.

no unprotected sex = no children = no child exploitation.

[catmac]

How do you think they come up with $28 billion as most of this industry is under the radar.

Pure guess work - a bit like TAT's projection of tourist arrivals!

I have to agree with TAWP and TPI on this one, whipping up a near hysteria on this issue does no good at all, except for all the do-gooders lapping up Government grants. The ludicrous witch-hunt against any alleged "child-abuse" had spread to the UK as well. In one well publicised case, parents taking the usual innocent snaps of their kids in the bath were seized by the police when they went to collect the prints and charged with child pornography! Of course, the charge was thrown out by the courts, but the stigma on the parents remained.

By all means stop the real heartless abuse of children, but I venture to suggest that that can only be achieved universally by eliminating the poverty and lack of education / opportunity that leaves them open to abuse.

[animatic]

What they mean is that many prostitution rings also cater to 'Special Clients',

or historically have depending on their depravity.

And they are saying keeping those pimps in the dough also contributes.

If these people save one child from this, then it is worth it.

Picking up a freelance bargirl here is not paying towards an organized network in the same way.

But none the less is not so far off a cousin; barfines and bar owners. Nana, Cowboy, Patpong, giant soapies etc.

In Bangkok it's not hard to believe most ANYTHING can be found for a price,

and the portals into that realm is likely through the call girl scene.

I certainly DO agree that some of these groups have gone round the twist

about their definitions of what is an acceptable picture of your child, as art or family photos.

Though on the net,

any deviant CAN take your child's picture as their own and...

well bears not thinking too hard about.

Edited August 13, 2009 by animatic

[photojourn]

Thanks Churchill.

Thaivisa News tried to obtain the full report but the links on the Ecpat website for the full report or summary don't work.

We'll attempt to provide a more complete report on this vital issue when they fix their website.

[Jingthing]

In theory, sounds like good work.

But ...

-- such groups are on thin ice getting moralistic about ADULT consensual sex

-- they say this activity will increase because of desperate times; where are they to provide economic alternatives for desperate people? probably nowhere

-- they create hysteria about innocent social encounters between adults and children, they create paranoid children

-- in the US where this hysteria is epidemic, many thousands of innocent adults are locked up on FALSE charges

[CrossBones]

These people get my vote 110%

Its all a load of rubbish, I have never been heard first hand or been made aware of any child trafficking or porn or underage sex etc apart from what we hear in the papers, and you hear about that in every country - I lived on the Burnese border for 5 years supposedly where all this trafficking is going on.

Where are all these pedophiles that are supposedly hanging out in Thailand.... oh wait a minute those are the people who WORK for the NGOS who come here pretending to stop it so they can get close to the kids. I have very little respect for most of these organisations and the people who work for them. They arent all pedos obviously but they do have this very annoying, we know everything holier than thou attitude which I find pretty annoying. If I were a Thai I'd find them pretty embarrassing and feel they are just giving Thailand a bad reputation (and making money out of it). Many of the smaller NGOs are set up and then sold for big money to companies who can offset this against tax and get a "good reputation" for this, making money out of the poor kids etc... its sickening. They might also be able to "off set" this against their own reputation for manufaturing goods in sweat shops. A huge volume of the the goods we purchase come from places like India and China where child labor is the norm. Sure it might say "Made in Usa" but thats just the label, 95% of the components come from third world countries. The only way westerners/ Americans can live their "American dream" is due to the fact that people in developing countries are prepared to "work for food" so we can afford our lifestyles. Nothing more annoying than a middle class American NGO worker in Thailand. Go home and and deal with your social problems and corporate criminals in America.

No stats to hand but I would say at least half of the accounts I have read of "foreign pedos" getting arrested here are actually NGO workers!

If you want to see exploitation, prostitution and a real sick society go to America its BRUTAL over there... oh dont worry about those guys they are black and mexicans, the Thais are more pure....lets go an solve our problems over THERE! Oh and the Thais are Buddhist so we can get more money from our supporters to turn them into Christians... because we all know that there are not pedophiles in the Christian church!

Remember the old Christian ethic.. that charity starts at home!

Edited August 13, 2009 by CrossBones

[CrossBones]

These people get my vote 110%

Its all a load of rubbish, I have never been heard first hand or been made aware of any child trafficking or porn or underage sex etc apart from what we hear in the papers, and you hear about that in every country - I lived on the Burnese border for 5 years supposedly where all this trafficking is going on.

Where are all these pedophiles that are supposedly hanging out in Thailand.... oh wait a minute those are the people who WORK for the NGOS who come here pretending to stop it so they can get close to the kids. I have very little respect for most of these organisations and the people who work for them. They arent all pedos obviously but they do have this very annoying, we know everything holier than thou attitude which I find pretty annoying. If I were a Thai I'd find them pretty embarrassing and feel they are just giving Thailand a bad reputation (and making money out of it). Many of the smaller NGOs are set up and then sold for big money to companies who can offset this against tax and get a "good reputation" for this, making money out of the poor kids etc... its sickening. They might also be able to "off set" this against their own reputation for manufaturing goods in sweat shops. A huge volume of the the goods we purchase come from places like India and China where child labor is the norm. Sure it might say "Made in Usa" but thats just the label, 95% of the components come from third world countries. The only way westerners/ Americans can live their "American dream" is due to the fact that people in developing countries are prepared to "work for food" so we can afford our lifestyles. Nothing more annoying than a middle class American NGO worker in Thailand. Go home and and deal with your social problems and corporate criminals in America.

No stats to hand but I would say at least half of the accounts I have read of "foreign pedos" getting arrested here are actually NGO workers!

If you want to see exploitation, prostitution and a real sick society go to America its BRUTAL over there... oh dont worry about those guys they are black and mexicans, the Thais are more pure....lets go an solve our problems over THERE! Oh and the Thais are Buddhist so we can get more money from our supporters to turn them into Christians... because we all know that there are not pedophiles in the Christian church!

Remember the old Christian ethic.. that charity starts at home!

And whats traffiking? I once smuggled a Burmese friend of mine to Chiang Mai so he could work as a builder. He travelled with me in my car, in the front seat, not in the boot..... am I a trafficker?

Edited August 13, 2009 by CrossBones

[animatic]

Sure touches some nerves here don't it?

[TAWP]

Hyperbole and propaganda should touch some nerves.

[A_Traveller]

The issue is always trying to ascertain truth, for example in 2007 at a UN sponsored conference The International Labour Organization estimated 1.8 million girls and boys under the age of 18 were involved in the global sex trade in 2000. Now even allowing for proposed growth factors correlating that figure to 28 Billion is an interesting exercise.

Regards

[Ijustwannateach]

Just hope they have the intent and the money to handle both sides of the coin- preventing trafficking and exploitation on the demand side is only half of the problem- the other half is giving the children a real alternative way to live.

[hughben]

Most trafficking in Thailand is for begging and not sex according to David Feigngold from UNESCO.

And some stats given out by NGOs can be incorrect, but continuously used.

[TAWP]

Just hope they have the intent and the money to handle both sides of the coin- preventing trafficking and exploitation on the demand side is only half of the problem- the other half is giving the children a real alternative way to live.

Indeed. I think it was UNESCO that released a report that showed that western protest against 'child labors' in primarily Indian shoe and textile factories [that lead the factories to be forced to dismiss the non-adults to be able to retain the contracts with the western companies hiring them] lead the thousands of children being forced into the sex-trade to make up for the lack of income from a normal job.

Sometimes 'compassion' without understanding of geological differences can have the effects one least wants.

[FD333]

***flame removed***

I do not believe there is any more of a 'child sex industry/problem' here than in the States, UK or any developed country etc etc . Paedophilia exists, has always existed and will exist in the future. As others have pointed out, individuals involved yes, but some organised ring, an actual industry is total nonsense. As for whatever went on in the past, the one thing that you do have to give some credit to the Thai authorities for, is breaking up this industry ,if any, a long, long time ago.

As for silly little comments like the above...when was it precisely that any evidence of a Thai organised child porn industry was ever exposed? I do not believe there ever has been even one such exposure, has there? Lots of idiotic travel 'expose' documentaries where ludicrous statements such as the girls selling flower leis at traffic lights were actually child prostitutes. Apart from that, speculation, guesstimation and fabrication so their sudience can be shocked and titillated. As with another poster, I have lived here a long time, and have never once experienced, or had a friend experience anything that could approximate child prostitution.

Again, when was it ever proven that an organised sex industry exists here? However, as other posters have cited, the truly outrageous figure of US28,000,000,000 in turnover. Thats right, almost US$600 million in turnover, week in week out. This doesn't sound like an idiotic exaggeration to one and all?

Any child being abused anywhere in the world is a horrible thing, be it mental, physical or sexual. Everyone would hope that this could be erradicated. However, the problem then becomes that individuals such as myself, who know better, get truly sick and tired of NGO's and bogus documentaries making up nonsensical stories about non-existent 'child sex industry'. Attract funding to spend a few years in thailand, having a great time ...but have exposed what exactly, have solved what problem exactly ? In the interim, there are many individuals who slip in under the radar screen and work in industries that can place them next to children.

NGO's could provide simple measures such as providing a charactor background/screening process that was always applied when recruiting teachers or anyone working with children in any field (unfortunately many parties seem incredibly lax in doing extensive background checks before employing people) That would solve 90% of whatever problem that is specific to Thailand. But really, how many NGO workers do you need to set up this relatively simply operation?

[Chunkton]

If they are that concerned why don't they get up to Chiang Mai and look into the use and abuse of underage hilltribe boys. As I understand it they are openly working, and very cheap and popular. Not exactly a huge secret, but there again as far as the authorities are concerned they aren't Thai are they?

[cyb]

These people get my vote 110%

My vote also.

If it stops one child from being abused it is a success.

Those of you who call it a load of rubbish and a waste of time, Stop and think about it.

What if it was your child?

I happily give money to these people (organisations) to combat this problem, Not only here but in the uk.

[cyb]

Animatic

'Sure touches some nerves here don't it?' What an ignorant comment.

So apparently if you want to point out that much of this report is garbage, somehow you sympathise with the child sex industry?

I do not believe there is any more of a 'child sex industry/problem' here than in the States, UK or any developed country etc etc . Paedophilia exists, has always existed and will exist in the future. As others have pointed out, individuals involved yes, but some organised ring, an actual industry is total nonsense. As for whatever went on in the past, the one thing that you do have to give some credit to the Thai authorities for, is breaking up this industry ,if any, a long, long time ago.

That comment is just unbelievable from someone that says he has lived here a long time.

[Scott]

I've worked for NGO's before. Good organizations, but embellishment does get money. My favorite group is the "At Risk" group--because that one can be just about everybody. Kids with one parent, kids with two parents, but live in a high crime area, kids whose parents both work, kids whose parents don't work, etc. etc.

The safety and care of children is important to all of us, but a healthy dose of scepticism doesn't hurt either.

[simon43]

If you want to see underage prostitution in Thailand, it's readily available - to those who speak Thai and who venture into non-farang karaokee bars/clubs, especially in small rural towns.

I have a 'fetish' for singing out of tune Thai karaokee songs. In many of those Thai-only bars that I venture into, there are underage (typically 14 years and upwards) girls who are available.

Can I do anything about it? No, because often the girl is sitting with the local police guy.....

The farang underage sex issue is the smallest tip of an iceberg. The bulk of that iceberg is Thaii-Thai underage prostitution which doesn't make interesting newspaper headlines.

Simon

[TAWP]

One problem with alarmist reports being splashed into newspapers back home is that tourists coming here expect to see pedo's everywhere and 'see' them in most any farang with a mixed/adopted kid on the beach/mall/street. Luckely I am still young so I am not the primary target, but after reading reades comments to news articles in a news paper back home on the subject ('I went to the beach and there was sooo many middle aged men there with kids in hand'), I don't envy any men above 45 that just found love again and had kids of their own or adopted their lovers.

Ps. Ecpat put up 'hotline's back home for tourists to give them tips when they come back from vacations [over here] and having 'spotted' cases. No Joke. Ds.

[Jingthing]

A few more points:

these NGO's have a FINANCIAL motivation to inflate the extent of the problem they are fighting (think about it)

visit a country which lacks the hysteria about this subject, for example Argentina vs. the USA, and notice how much HAPPIER the children and adults appear in Argentina, visit a park in Argentina and you will think it takes a village to raise a child, visit a park in the USA and you will think it takes a police state to raise a child (witness sterile friendly facism)

Of course, real criminals need to be convicted, but societies need to careful not to ruin the lives of innocent ADULTS as well.

To wit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbVwWEpTmHo

"WITCH HUNT" (2009) 91 minutes (widescreen).

PLOT: Sean Pean narrates this documentary about John Stoll and other residents of Bakersfield, California who were falsely convicted in the 1980s of child molestation.

The documentary recounts how an overzealous & politically ambitious District Attorney and his poorly-trained detectives manipulated children into testifying against their parents. The young children were routinely misled into making dozens of false accusations regarding group sex, satanic worship, and human sacrifice.

Edited August 14, 2009 by Jingthing

[animatic]

I drive the adopted niece to school each morning, and I resent the looks I get from some fools.

Two types:

One is looking like;' I wonder what's happening there??'

Got that from a couple of farang women too..

One or two men actually seem jealous.. and that is down right scary.

Once at school and with the other parents,

all give a sense of doing good for the kids old or young.

Your are here, you are active in the childs schooling, you care.

Good for all of you.

Well we are blessed with a wonderful child and this explains

why I spoke out at 110% in favor of nailing any type of child prostitution rings.

I want to not have to worry about our lovely young lady...

and always WILL anyway.

Edited August 14, 2009 by animatic

[animatic]

A few more points:

these NGO's have a FINANCIAL motivation to inflate the extent of the problem they are fighting (think about it)

visit a country which lacks the hysteria about this subject, for example Argentina vs. the USA, and notice how much HAPPIER the children and adults appear in Argentina, visit a park in Argentina and you will think it takes a village to raise a child, visit a park in the USA and you will think it takes a police state to raise a child (witness sterile friendly facism)

Of course, real criminals need to be convicted, but societies need to careful not to ruin the lives of innocent ADULTS as well.

To wit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbVwWEpTmHo

"WITCH HUNT" (2009) 91 minutes (widescreen).

PLOT: Sean Pean narrates this documentary about John Stoll and other residents of Bakersfield, California who were falsely convicted in the 1980s of child molestation.

The documentary recounts how an overzealous & politically ambitious District Attorney and his poorly-trained detectives manipulated children into testifying against their parents. The young children were routinely misled into making dozens of false accusations regarding group sex, satanic worship, and human sacrifice.

I have seen this documentary also. It was quite shocking and disgusting.

Those prosecutors and so called social workers were totally inept.

Overzealous is a starting point for these fools.

I have also seen the mis-applied 'New Theory's' on child memories and psychology

but 'Social Workers' acting like the 3 books they read qualified them to,

interpret a 6 year olds actual works of art as some sort of proof of abuse,

WHERE NONE EXISTED...

I watched a family nearly torn apart by two, well meaning, and utterly out of their depth

social workers, seeing what they wanted to see.

But that is not child trafficking for prostitution.

One of the great horrors on this planet.