Just learning about Sex Tourism in lecture nine made my eyes bulge. Although nothing graphic or too obscene was said or discussed in the lecture just the simple fact that people go on “tours” to other countries or act as tourists to other countries just for sex is just plain vulgar. After researching sex tourism I found that often it is called “child sex tourism” because many travel to have sex with minors. Whether it is underage in that country or just ours it does not matter.
The countries that often advertise this over the internet are those who have more liberal and relaxed laws. This is the main thing that attracts those who want to become a sex tourist. If the age of consent is lower, then it gives them the opportunity to have sex with someone underage if they were in the United States. Other things that attract people into these countries may be a certain ethnicity as well as more privacy since it is in a foreign country and simply because the law enforcements are not as meticulous. As said in the lecture these sex tourists have flourished for a while, but after it was advertised over the internet and websites were created for them it started to “explode.” I can just imagine how it would be for these people with this disgusting hobby. They are probably like a kid in a candy shop. It just does not make sense to me that a person would spend all that money to travel to a foreign country to fulfill a fantasy and have sex with a total stranger. They more than likely do not even go visit any real tourist attractions. Although the accommodations are cheap I know the airfare isn’t. If one stays for just a weekend I bet it’s close to a grand just for airfare, meals, lodging, and for the service. If I am going to travel thousands of miles all the way to India or Russia you better believe I am going to visit the Taj Mahal or St. Basil’s in Russia. Sex would be the last thing on my mind for who has the chance to travel to a foreign country during their lifetime. These people are taking for granted that they can finance such a trip where other people can only dream of going.
Back to the legal issue of this topic in many of these countries it is illegal to have sex with whom many of these tourists engage with. It’s just there are so many loopholes and there is so much disorganization with in these governments that people get away with it. What I found extremely interesting and amusing is that if an American goes to a country where the age of consent is below 18 they still can be charged in the United States for having sex with a minor. Many governments are getting tough with these sex tourists trying to discourage them from having sex with minors. I think this is a brilliant way for the government to intervene, although they do enough of that in our everyday lives. I think part of it is that these Americans who engage in these sex acts oversees represent our country and our government does not want that kind of representation occurring, especially since it involves underage girls or boys.
I know that people get off and get sexually aroused in different ways, but can’t they do it in their own country? I think it is a little extreme to go to another country to find sex. It really is not any of my business to what these people do nor am I in a position to judge I just do not appreciate that type of lifestyle.
