Sex tourism: case Philippines

Abstract:

The aim and purpose of the paper is to Conflict of values between residents and tourists. Subsequently, this paper will be focus on child sex tourism in Philippines. Sex tourism, like so many facets of the world, has not been left untouched by globalization. The powerful entity that is globalization has had a profound impact on the arena of sex work.

Keywords: sex tourist, Prostitution, victims, child sex tourism

Discussion paper:

Martin (1998) state that, lοοk back tο the history the first signs οf sex tourism began tο appear οn first and second Wοrld Wars. Sex tοtourism is a constantly develοping phenomenοn which defined as “trips οrganized frοm within the tοurism sectοr, οr from οutside this sectοr but using its structures and netwοrks, with the primary purpοse of effecting a cοmmercial sexual relatiοnship by the tοurist with residents at the desalinationοn" (World Tοurism Οrganization).

According to O‟Donnell Davidson (2004), “sexual relationships with tourists represent one of the few ways in which ordinary local adults and children can tap into privileges reserved for tourists and elite locals” (p. 39). Engaging with foreigners is a source of pride and increases the locals‟ status within the community (Trinidad, 2005). Unfortunately, the status awarded to the tourist often times equips the tourist with the power to harm the locals they come into contact with.

Defining the problem compels these institutions to consider the moral and financial consequences of the actions of preying tourists. However, institutions with vested interests in the tourism industry hesitate to define and criminalize the habitual child sex tourist due to the lucrative industry of sex tourism. Exposing and prosecuting child sex tourists threatens a valuable revenue source that governments and businesses have come to depend on (Jeffreys, 1999), particularly in developing nations.

Most tourism businesses in Philippines are owned by foreigners. The local male they are working such as vendors, laborers, drivers, boatmen, caddies, and bartenders. From the other hand, Women and children were trafficked within the country for forced labor as domestic workers and small-scale factory workers, for forced begging, and for exploitation in the commercial sex trade (ECAPT 2011). Moreover, Conflict of values between residents and tourists has as result the rising populations, low levels of education and training, increased demand for basic services, environmental decline, illegal drugs, and an increase in minor crimes and sexual activity amongst young people. Filipino migrant workers, both domestically and abroad, who became trafficking victims are often subjected to violence, threats, inhumane living conditions, non-payment of salaries, confinement, and withholding of travel and identity documents (USA 2013).

In the poorest parts of the Philippines children continue to suffer at the hands of foreign travelers who seek to deprive them of their future because of their own selfish and greedy desires. Despite the increased public awareness of the concerns of the victims of CST the overall knowledge base is fragile.

Additiοnal factοrs include the historical cοntext οf fοreigners in the islands and the images and stereοtypes of οrient sexuality. The way forward must include all actors shows as lοcal peοple, gοvernments and the tοurism industry. However these do nοt necessarily have the oppοrtunity or motivatiοn to act. Therefοre there is a crucial campaigning role tο be played by civil sοciety and, in particular, the media. The host cοmmunity is generally the weak part οf the relatiοnship hοst-guest: taking any influence frοm the guest side in order tο fulfill is requirements (unep 2015). Philippines must tο realize that their image such as tοurism destinatiοn has been damaged by the negative publicity fοr child sex tourism in οorder tο take drastic measures.

Reference:

Martin Oppermann (1998). Sex Tourism and Prostitution: Aspects of Leisure, Recreation, and Work (Tourism Dynamics). Edition. Cognizant Communication Corp

UNEP, (2015). United Nations Environment Programme: environment for development. [ONLINE] [Accessed 29 April 2015]. Available at: http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/Socio-CulturalImpacts/NegativeSocio-CulturalImpactsFromTourism/tabid/78781/Default.aspx.

ECPAT (2011). International monitoring status of action against commercial sexual exploitation of children. Ed 2. case philippines. [Online] [Accessed 05 May 2015]. at : http://www.ecpat.net/sites/default/files/a4a_v2_eap_philippines.pdf

The reason behind selecting this topic to provide a commentary on is based on having a general interest in the subject area. I have also briefly touched on this topic area in my own discussion paper as regards to sex tourism in Thailand.

The writer has clearly shown an abstract with their aims and objectives on what the discussion paper is about, along with a history on where sex tourism has originally began. The writer continues to show how the tourism sector is very popular for sex tourism, as many tourists visit countries like Philippines for the purpose of ‘sex’. The writer refers to a quote by O‟Donnell Davidson (2004), showing how certain locals see sex tourism as a pride as they are engaging with foreigners. Nevertheless the status that is created by this is negative as foreigners then have the power to harm locals whilst coming into contact with them; especially those locals who have to go into the sex trade without a choice, to initially provide for their families. These children then have to live up to the expectations that are created by foreigners who are travelling to the Philippines for this reason. Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion (Behaviour Works, 2013) related to this point made by the writer, is that one is persuaded to travel for sex tourism; they want expectations to be achieved and want to spend their money wisely in the sex trade, which will then provide for the Philippine economy. This both benefits the locals based on the money that will go into the economy and the pride in engaging with tourists, and on the other hand benefits tourists as they get what they are paying for.

The discussion paper continues to show that majority of businesses in the Philippines are owned by foreigners. Women and children are forced into labour and exploitation in the common sex trade. The writer continues to show how child sex tourism effects locals as many factors have been listed such as, a rising population, low levels of education; so locals are not able to see the dangers of sex tourism for their community as well as they should. The writer continues to state, the increase in minor crimes and sexual violence along with sexual activity amongst young people is high. The writer has clearly distinguished how this idea of sex tourism; specifically child sex tourism, effects the local community.

The destination image has also been touched on about how the Philippines is seen as a destination known for sex trade and sex tourism. Also pin pointing how the government are not acting upon this issue as their main source of money for their economy is from sex tourism. The destination image has been damaged and now labelled in a horrific way, which could be demolished in the long term if drastic measures are taken into consideration.

To conclude this commentary, the writer has understood the concept with great understanding and has acknowledged the impact child sex tourism has on locals, as well as tourism and the countries destination image.



Reference:

Behaviour Works (2013) The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion [online]. Australia: Elaboration likelihood model. [Accessed 16 April 2015]. Available at: <http://www.behaviourworksaustralia.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/11/BWA_ELM.pdf>.

I chose to conduct my commentary on this paper as I also chose to write my paper on the topic of sex tourism, it is also of personal interest to me and it proved to be an interesting read further to my own paper. Where my own paper focuses on the male sex workers of Kenya and their treatment by both their clients and the local communities, this paper focusses on child sex tourism in the Philippines instead. This paper discusses in further detail the problems that arise in the Philippines due to the conflict of values between the residents and the tourists.

Globalisation has lead to the acceptation of many activities that are seen by most as unethical and immoral; this paper highlights the fact that many locals enter the world of sex tourism in order to open up doors that otherwise would not be available to them, this may include cash, travel incentives or other gifts. However this paper brings to light one of the most concerning and disturbing aspects of the sex tourism industry, the prostitution of children, which is rife in some of the poorer, under-developed regions of the world i.e. The Philippines and other areas of south east Asia. Thousands of people are promised a better life elsewhere, more money and a higher standard of living; however for many this dream of a better life turns into a living nightmare after they have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Interpol has estimated that sex trafficking alone generates approximately nineteen billion US dollars (U.S. State Department, 2008). Gender inequality contributes to high numbers of women trafficked into the sex industry, whether this be for commercial sex work i.e. prostitution or pornography or non-commercial i.e. marriage for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Global poverty, lack of education and illiteracy affect females in greater numbers than men, but why does the legislation in many countries only protect women from being sex trafficked.

The most pressing fact of this paper was the apparent unwillingness of cooperation with the authorities, although it may appear on the surface that the government is using everything within its power to limit the exploitation of children, certain questions must be raised as a result of this paper. Namely; what is the significance of the sex tourism industry within the Philippines? How reliant is the population on sex tourists? As is the case in Kenya many have little or no choice when it comes to their choice of where their money comes from.

In response to this paper (and similarly to my own) more research needs to be undertaken to fully understand the extent to which child sex tourism is affecting not only those directly concerned with the industry i.e. the exploited children and the sex tourists themselves, but it is important to look at the wider picture, who will suffer as a result of the diminishment of this industry. However, that is not to say we must condone certain aspects of the sex tourism industry but as an industry we must delve deeper into the underlying issues related to this paper, why must they be forced into prostitution in the first place? Why don’t they have a choice? What is being done by the authorities to provide suitable employment alternatives? That is where the answers to this shameful industry lay.

References:

JOHNSON, AK 2011, 'International Child Sex Tourism: Enhancing the Legal Response in South East Asia', International Journal Of Children's Rights, 19, 1, pp. 55-79, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 12 May 2015.

TEPELUS, CM 2008, 'Social responsibility and innovation on trafficking and child sex tourism: Morphing of practice into sustainable tourism policies?', Tourism & Hospitality Research, 8, 2, pp. 98-115, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost

U.S. Department of State (2008) “Trafficking in Persons Report 2008”.[accessed: 11th May 2015] from http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2008/105377.htm