Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Adult Sexual Contact with Children: Child Prostitution 3

The main child trafficking routes are from poorer to richer countries, that is to say, generally from south to north and east to west. However, the exact itineraries can change quickly with changing economic conditions. The traffickers are interested only in money and follow the demands of their “market”. Today, child prostitution is found mostly in Southeast Asia, in Latin America, and in some poor countries of Eastern Europe. These areas are also known as destinations for sex tourism.
Sex tourism, of course, moves in the opposite direction, i.e. from the richer to the poorer countries - from north to south and west to east. Relatively rich tourists from the USA, Australia, Europe, and Japan can afford to pay for sexual contacts in relatively poor developing countries, and a few of these tourists seek out children. This does not mean that local men do not take advantage of the increased sexual opportunities. Indeed, some of these men erroneously believe that AIDS can be cured by sexual intercourse with a virgin, and this superstition puts very young girls in great danger. In many developing countries it is the low social status of girls that makes them especially vulnerable to sexual exploitation. However, unemployment and a lack of education also force some boys to become prostitutes.

Sex tourism in Southeast Asia
The illustration shows the main destinations preferred by sex tourists from various developed countries. It is important to realize, however, that only a very small minority of these tourists has a sexual interest in children. The overwhelming majority is looking for sexually mature prostitutes who are capable of full sexual responses - mostly young women, in some cases young men.