When you think of a “sex tourist”, you probably think of a dirty old man in Asia, molesting young boys. As it turns out, these filthy old men now have some competition.
International organization “Defense for Children-EPCAT” is sounding the alarm bell for a disturbing new trend in the world of sex tourism – older women heading to Africa for the sole purpose of sex.
A spokesperson for the organization reports on an increasing number of European and American women taking “tours” to Africa for sex.
The women involved in this disturbing new trend become part of it in one of two ways; Some of them are approached by their “tour guide”, falling for their charm and engaging in sex, others know exactly what they are doing, and take the trip purely for the sex.
Sadly, many of the kids participating are still minors, as it isn’t always easy to correctly judge their age. A UNICEF report says that over 30% of children between 12 and 18 in Kenya are involved in the sex tourism business, a horrifying statistic.
A new initiative by EPCAT, UNICEF and the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) introduced a code of conduct to be adopted by any supplier or tourism. Of course, as with any initiative like this, it relies on the support of the industry, and it won’t help against tourists booking their trips outside a group package.