I went to Thailand to investigate child sex tourism.
'Young girls in supply and the demand seems limitless. The commercial sexual exploitation of girls is a global, multi-billion dollar industry, pouring money into the hands of private citizens, tourists, governments and the police. No single approach, in a single country, can entirely solve the problem. '
This is a master's degree thesis. The first part consists of a journalistic project (i.e. feature article) and the second part includes the methodology and feedback of the project.
Table of Contents
PROJECT
PREAMBLE
CHAPTER ONE: THE PROCESS
CHAPTER TWO: THE CHILD PROSTITUTION
2:1 CHILD SEX TOURISM
2:2 FACTORS BEHIND THE RISE OF PROSTITUTION
CHAPTER THREE: CONCLUSION
INTERVIEWS
REFERENCES
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This dissertation examines the intersection of child prostitution and tourism in Thailand, investigating how the growth of the tourism industry and regional economic disparities have contributed to the systematic exploitation of minors. The research focuses on the underlying socio-economic and cultural drivers of this phenomenon, including the impact of poverty and local ideological perceptions, while evaluating the effectiveness of both Thai national laws and international efforts to combat this global industry.
- The role of the tourism industry as a catalyst for organized child sexual exploitation.
- The impact of the Asian economic crisis and rural poverty on the vulnerability of children.
- Socio-cultural and religious rationalizations for prostitution within the Thai context.
- Evaluation of governmental legislation and international legal frameworks in the UK and Thailand.
- Challenges in journalistic research and the ethical complexities of reporting on human exploitation.
Excerpt from the Book
2:2 FACTORS BEHIND THE RISE OF PROSTITUTION
There are two main aspects of commercial sexual exploitation of children: the first one is the demand from the abusers, be they locals or tourists. And the second is the supply, the social, cultural, economical factors that drives children into the sex industry.
First, poverty is a major catalyst for both on demand and supply sides of the sex industry. The majority of children involved are coming from poor, marginalised families. Globalisation, urbanisation and environmental degradation have meant structural changes of families, and rural communities who have, in turn, became more vulnerable to the effects of poverty and exploitation.
Second, gender bias and traditional perceptions of women and girls as being less valuable than boys or men (Muecke, 1992: 891). The lenient Buddhism philosophy dominates the Thai way of life in terms of helping they poor family. Some 85 percent of the population in Thailand belong to the Theravada Buddhism sect. The influence of Buddhism can be seen in all parts of society. The Buddhist ideology of merit making helps commercial sex workers rationalise their work as helping their poor family financially, and local men are helping poor women and their families, i.e. all people are gaining merit for their deeds. In this respect, being a commercial sex worker is self-sacrificing, submissive working pattern for women in terms of Buddhist moral principles. Truong (1990: 137) finds that the status of a commercial sex worker is not considered a result of sexual impurity, but karmic impurity. According to the Buddhist thought, sex is not a sin which is tied to the natural world, the world of suffering and ignorance (Truong, 1990: 134).
Summary of Chapters
PROJECT: Introduces the global scale of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and the complex web of tourism, economic pressure, and demand that sustains the industry.
PREAMBLE: Outlines the research focus on child prostitution in Thailand, the role of the tourism industry, and the influence of the Asian financial crisis on child vulnerability.
CHAPTER ONE: THE PROCESS: Details the methodology behind the research, including the challenges of interviewing vulnerable subjects and the ethical considerations of journalistic reporting in sensitive environments.
CHAPTER TWO: THE CHILD PROSTITUTION: Analyzes the definition of child prostitution, the historical context of the sex industry in Thailand, and the complex socio-economic and cultural factors that drive the supply and demand.
2:1 CHILD SEX TOURISM: Examines how tourism development and cultural misconceptions lead to the sexual exploitation of children by foreign visitors.
2:2 FACTORS BEHIND THE RISE OF PROSTITUTION: Discusses the impact of poverty, globalization, gender bias, and Buddhist ideology on the persistence of child prostitution.
CHAPTER THREE: CONCLUSION: Summarizes the findings regarding government policy, the failure of existing laws to curb exploitation, and the necessity of long-term educational and social strategies.
Keywords
Child Prostitution, Tourism, Thailand, ECPAT, Sexual Exploitation, Human Trafficking, Poverty, Buddhism, HIV/AIDS, Legislation, Sex Tourism, Social Reform, Journalism, Ethics, Human Rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work explores the critical link between the tourism industry and the commercial sexual exploitation of children in Thailand, examining how economic and social structures perpetuate this cycle.
What are the central themes addressed in this study?
Key themes include the impact of poverty, the role of international tourists, the influence of cultural ideologies, the failure of legislative interventions, and the difficulties of reporting on human exploitation.
What is the primary goal or research question?
The research aims to uncover the systematic nature of child sex tourism in Thailand and to evaluate why current legal and social interventions have struggled to effectively eradicate the practice.
What scientific or research methods were employed?
The research utilizes a qualitative approach, combining field interviews with former sex workers, aid workers, and journalists, alongside an extensive review of NGO reports, books, and journalistic research.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the definition of the problem, the history of the sex industry in Thailand, cultural drivers such as religious ideology and gender bias, and an assessment of both domestic and international legal efforts to protect children.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The most relevant keywords include Child Prostitution, Sex Tourism, Human Trafficking, Thailand, ECPAT, and Social Exploitation.
How do Buddhist beliefs influence the child prostitution industry?
The work explains how specific interpretations of Buddhist merit-making can be used to rationalize sex work as an act of filial piety, allowing individuals to justify the sacrifice of a daughter's well-being for the family's financial survival.
Why are new laws in Thailand and the UK seen as potentially ineffective?
The author argues that while laws have become stricter, they often criminalize the victims themselves, forcing the industry further underground and making it harder to gather evidence against criminal organizers.
What are the specific challenges of reporting on this topic?
The author highlights the severe risks of bribery, the danger of retaliation from criminal networks, and the ethical dilemma of interviewing traumatized minors without causing further psychological harm.
- Quote paper
- Miki Garcia (Author), 1998, Wish you weren't here. Tourism and child prostitution in Thailand, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/491026
