Here are three examples of countries protecting children against sexual predators who travel overseas to find their victims.
The US agents tracking down sex tourists in Cambodia, BBC News 30/01/11
As part of an initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas, special US agents operating in South East Asia have brought more than 80 alleged child sex tourists back to America to face justice.
For Westerners arrested on child sex charges in South East Asia, things do not always turn out too badly. Gary Glitter got a two-and-a-half-year sentence in Vietnam for obscene acts with girls aged 10 and 12. These are poor countries, where $100 can buy your freedom. But Ronald Adams had more to reckon with than the local police. An agent from America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) was part of the group carrying out the raid. If a US citizen is caught abusing children abroad, American agents are now on hand with the specific aim of getting the suspect on a plane to stand trial back in the US.
Australia in sex-tourism campaign, BBC News 07/06/10
Australia has launched an advertising campaign to accompany tough new laws on sex tourism. Adverts have been placed in national newspapers that warn offenders they can be prosecuted in Australia even if their crimes are committed elsewhere. The measures include jail terms of up to 25 years for Australians found guilty of sex crimes against children in foreign countries. Charities in Australia have welcomed the tougher stance.
UK laws tighten on paedophile travel, BBC News 20/08/08
Tighter controls on the movements of paedophiles have been announced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. Measures include increasing the length of time child sex offenders can be banned from travelling abroad from six months to up to five years. Ms Smith said the changes would bolster the UK’s already “rigorous system” for managing sex offenders, which is “among the toughest in the world”.
It comes as paedophile and ex-pop star Gary Glitter left a Vietnamese jail. He was released on Tuesday after serving 27 months in prison for child molestation.