05/10/2011 Session
Strasbourg, 05.10.2011 – “Crimes committed by travelling sex offenders are among the worst forms of violence against children, because they reduce them to mere objects of abusive desires and commercial interests,” said Liliane Maury Pasquier (Switzerland,, SOC), Chair of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee, speaking today at the 4th meeting of the network of contact parliamentarians to stop sexual violence against children. Only strong political determination and close co-operation between states can help to effectively combat this atrocious crime,” added Ms Maury Pasquier at the opening of the discussion on action against child sex tourism.
“In order to deal with this problem, it is important to ensure that there are no loop-holes in the law,” said Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD), who has just been appointed the committee’s rapporteur on the subject. “It is essential that there be good co-operation between investigators and with the private sector,” he added, citing the recent case of a Latvian sex tourist, convicted in Germany for having committed numerous sex offences around the world. “Consideration should also be given to the role played by the internet.”
“This scourge is not confined to a few exotic destinations but is rife all over the world. Sex tourism destinations are developing rapidly and frequently. The scale of the problem remains unclear but according to estimates, millions of children are involved,” explained Najat Maalla M’jid, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. “In order to fight this phenomenon effectively, it is vital to put in place a legislative and regulatory framework that criminalises such acts, protects the victims and embodies the principle of extraterritoriality – so that states can place their residents under formal investigation for sexual exploitation of minors abroad.”
Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, made the point that under the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (the “Lanzarote Convention”), states could convict residents who committed sex offences abroad.
With the recent addition of contact parliamentarians for France and Moldova, the network now has 40 members, appointed by national parliaments.