Protection Of Children From Exploitation Through Sex Tourism

EDM number 493 in 2014-15, proposed by Fiona Bruce on 06/11/2014.
Categorised under the topics of Asia, Children and families, Crime, Latin America, Sexual offences and Tourism.

That this House believes that children across the world must be protected from sexual exploitation; recognises that the phenomenon of sex tourism is a problem which must be tackled both by the country where the crime is committed and, where the perpetrator is a British national, by the UK; notes particularly the known vulnerability of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Brazil to this crime; commends section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which provides for the prosecution of extra-territorial crimes; further notes that the Government signed the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, which contains measures to encourage co-operation between states on the issue of sex tourism; commends the work of the National Crime Agency, Serious Crime Agency and Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in combating sex tourism, but notes the lack of prosecutions in this area despite the provision in law; further recognises that more must be done; and calls on the Government to fulfil its obligations under this law to prosecute cases of sex tourism, to ensure that British nationals do not act with impunity, and to protect vulnerable children from sexual exploitation.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.