Conflict and Displacement, Sex Tourism in Thailand

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1 Conflict and Displacement: Sex Tourism in Thailand Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Title Submission Date

2 Introduction Thailand is well-known across the world as a center for a diverse array of sexual services whose only limitation seems to be the imagination of the one paying for them. Global consumers are flocking to this booming sector year after year to partake in its many offerings. There is a thriving tourism sector because of the 96.6 million foreign visitors that came to Thailand in 2014 (Schaumer et al., 2018). Women and children are particularly vulnerable to being ensnared in the sex work business because of war, poverty, and/or unsafe living circumstances. The traffickers who prey on women and children with these conditions usually keep them under careful and strategic surveillance for a period of time before using them for sexual or other nefarious purposes. Exploitation and abuse are also problems for young guys and transgender men and women. The issue of human trafficking is becoming more urgent worldwide, but particularly in Thailand and its surrounding regions. As both a source and a destination country for trafficking, as well as a significant transit country, Thailand is at the center of the child sex trade. Women and children are often seen as mere objects. Those who "procure, seduce, or carry away any person for the prostitution of such person, even with her or his permission," as stated by Thai law, "will be subject to imprisonment for a period of one to 10 years and to a fine of twenty thousand ($815) to two hundred thousand Baht ($8,150") (Taiwan, 2022). The sex slave trade is fueled by poverty, sexism, political unrest, and human avarice. There are two things this study hopes to add to the discussion of sex tourism in Thailand. To first demonstrate the gravity of the problem, the factors that contribute to its perpetuation, and the solutions that may be put in place to combat human trafficking in Thailand. Moreover, I'd want to investigate how well humanitarian efforts have worked to lessen the severity of the fighting.

3 Background/Methods The primary goal of this study was to examine the causes and consequences of human trafficking as it relates to forced displacement in Thailand. We utilized authoritative sources like NATO.gov, ECPAT.org, and World Vision.org as well as research databases like Research Gate, PubMed, and Google Scholar to answer these questions. These databases included a wealth of material, including in-depth articles and research on the expanding human trafficking industry in Southeast Asian nations and the Thai capital of Bangkok. Relevant keywords and concepts, such as "sex trafficking," "Thailand," and "exploitation," will be used throughout this work. The 1999 paper "Sex trafficking and the mainstream of market culture" by Taylor and Jaimeson was chosen as the peer-reviewed publication for this research. This article illustrates how worldwide pressure has led to forced emigration, promoted immigration, and a need for human labor in Thailand. Insight into the causes and effects of sex trafficking are provided in this article. Since it provided up-to-date information on how to strengthen law enforcement in the areas of human trafficking, prosecution, protection, and prevention, I went with the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report: Thailand from the United States Department of State (Thailand, 2021). Considered for inclusion in the study was Bernstein and Shih's "The Erotic's of Authenticity: Sex Trafficking and "Reality Tourism" in Thailand" (2014). This article examines the phenomenon of human trafficking as it relates to tourism, focusing on the steps these feminists might take to assist victims and develop anti-trafficking campaigns in the context of their recent one-week "reality tour" in Thailand. The methodology used by Bernstein and Shih stands out as novel and original. Those involved in them pretend to be tourists in order to profit from the sex trafficking business, which is hungry for human flesh. The reader is given a look

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4 into a world of cruelty and more obvious societal issues, such as poverty, migration, and most crucially, commercial sex, through this study. In addition to the websites and reports of renowned international, national, and humanitarian organizations, six peer-reviewed research publications were chosen for this study. Literature Review and Discussion Women and children are disproportionately affected by war and conflict, and those who have fled their homes due to violence are often internally displaced. Human trafficking is a problem that has been around for millennia but has only lately received widespread public, governmental, and media attention. When they are recruited and/or transported by a trafficker, they are subjected to coercion and/or physical force, making them easy prey for exploitation. Approximately 610,100 people are victims of human trafficking in Thailand each year, and the sector brings in $6.4 billion (Global Findings | Global Slavery Index, 2018). "Prostitution has been formally illegal in Thailand since 1996 under the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act," According to (Schaumer et al., 2018). However, the growing sex business that flourishes there to this day demonstrates a lack of action at a policy and law-enforcement level. That those who are meant to serve and protect people are instead making money off of the relocation of women and children is really disturbing. The poverty level is one of the contributing elements to this problem. Roots and Causes Most people who are coerced into sex work are either refugees or children from impoverished backgrounds or war zones who have lost one or both of their parents (Schaumer, Boyes, et al., 2018). Women and children are more susceptible to being trafficked and persuaded into this

5 corrupt sector as a result of social injustices such gender discrimination, objectification, and patriarchy. Women and children living below the poverty line confront a number of obstacles that might lead them to sell their bodies, including a lack of education, debt, sickness without treatment, etc. According to studies, having little money might make you desperate. Pimps, brothel owners, and traffickers prey on the poor and the powerless by offering them false hope for a brighter future (Victim Services and Crime Prevention, 2019). The commercialization of human beings and the globalization of markets also contribute to the trafficking of women and children. The term "commodification" describes the transformation of something with no intrinsic value into something having monetary worth that may compete with or even replace other forms of societal value (Levesque, 2015). Pimps, brothels, and other exploiters use children and women as commodities. Poulin (2003) claims that the sex business has gone from being on the periphery to playing a crucial role in the expansion of global capitalism. This is why it's starting to look like any other part of the economy. Further, many young girls and women living in poverty have nothing to offer except their bodies, making them especially susceptible to exploitation in a patriarchal culture where women are regarded less valued and readily objectified by males. The sex trade sector facilitates human trafficking from nations with lower standards of living to those with higher standards. An estimated 5.1 million sexual tourists visit Thailand each year, with an estimated 450,000 making use of the country's licit offering (Poulin, 2003). Especially when the major clients are tourists who do not restrict themselves to undeveloped nations, the ease with which human traffickers may move their wares across borders has contributed to a dramatic increase in the scale of the problem. Poverty, avarice, commercialization, and internationalization are all contributing factors to the expansion of the sex trade in Thailand.

6 Women and children in Thailand are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking because of a number of additional circumstances. One of them is the perpetuation of stereotypes that women are incapable of supporting themselves economically or intellectually and hence must rely on males for existence. "most people tried and convicted of trafficking in persons continue to be male, with roughly 64 and 63 percent respectively," (United Nations, 2020). The issue of sex trafficking thrives in a patriarchal culture because of the imbalance of power and control that exists there. Children and women have always been at a disadvantage when it comes to sex trafficking because of the high value placed on and the exploitation of their sexuality. Natural catastrophes, conflict, and political instability can contribute to both sex trafficking and displacement. Women have always risked their lives for those of their children, whether by selling their bodies for food or by hiding away in refugee camps. Therefore, these ladies are trapped in an ultimately fruitless situation: debt bonds. Sex trafficking is driven by a high- reward, low-risk dynamic because of the lack of controlled government enforcement. "international traffic in women and children is fueled by the findings resulting from transnational collaborations between police, customs, and other official agencies in countries involved in the export and import of such human cargo," which suggests that government and police infiltration is a common cause of organized crime (Taylor & Jamieson, 1999). Human trafficking, according to (UNICEF, 2021), is unique in that both its supply and demand consist of people. When authorities are complicit in a global pandemic, "people demanding the sale of people" rings all the more true. Humanitarian Responses Organizations like ECPAT, UNICEF, and World Vision work with governments to help survivors of sex trafficking. Those who have been uprooted and/or are working in this lucrative business

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7 have access to World Vision's wide range of assistance programs. Located in Australia, the Assistance Support and Protection Project (ASAP) seeks to "lower incidence and danger of human trafficking among migrant and other vulnerable groups" (World Vision, 2021). The Children in Need of Special Protection Project (CNSP) is one of World Vision's initiatives that directly aids victims and works to minimize the number of children who are trafficked or exploited along the Thai-Cambodian border. They also have a project called the Regional Advocacy Anti-Child Trafficking Project (RACTP), which is geared on changing Thai law. Some groups have taken it upon themselves to put a stop to sex trafficking in Thailand, such as ECPAT (End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism), a worldwide initiative. From their purpose statement to the viewpoints of survivors to a declaration of rights and information on how anyone may become involved, their website has a plethora of material. ECPAT stresses the necessity of being informed of your rights as well as donating to and raising funds for these causes. Preventative initiatives taken by groups like ECPAT to combat sexual assault and relocation, one of the most difficult crimes to uncover, may help guarantee the protection of basic human rights. The growing public knowledge of human trafficking has prompted increased political concern about this horrific crime. Kiss and Zimmerman argue that a better understanding of what constitutes severe labor exploitation is necessary if we are to confront and prevent the spread of the sex trafficking epidemic in Thailand (2019). The motion states, "There are various types of trafficking, from forced sex work to abuses in other sectors, including coerced and exploited labor, which may pose serious occupational dangers" (Kiss & Zimmerman, 2019). Organizations and the global community may do more to combat human trafficking and forced migration if they adopt

8 preventative measures and increase their knowledge of the specific forms of exploitation at play, the populations they impact, and the root causes of these problems. Conclusion In conclusion, communities and people who have been directly or indirectly affected by the problem of sexual trafficking and relocation continue to worry about the severity of these issues. Even though Thailand has made great strides in recent years, many of its citizens are still living in poverty, unable to make ends meet. Thailand has always had a scarcity of workers, therefore there has been a mismatch between the supply and demand of labor (von Feigenblatt, 2014). Extreme poverty exacerbates the problems of forced migration and sex trafficking of women and children. An further contributor is a patriarchal culture that views sex trafficking as a means to achieve goals of power, prestige, and financial gain. Women and children are treated as second- class citizens and commodities. The sex trafficking epidemic, which endangers countless lives, is another consequence of globalization and commercialization. Thailand's position as a major origin, destination, and transit country has facilitated cross-border human trafficking. Recommendation Advocacy is one method by which the lives and well-being of the people who are lured into this lucrative profession might be improved. Meeting with or otherwise contacting one's local, state, and federal lawmakers is one effective way to advocate for victim rights and let them know that their constituents are concerned about putting an end to human trafficking (Thelwell, 2019). Advocacy ensures that people's voices are heard and that their basic needs are met in decision- making processes.

9 Second, laws and policies are enacted to reduce the likelihood of sex trafficking and related forced migration. "efforts included giving anti-trafficking training to judges and collaborating with NGOs to offer trauma-informed care training to police, prosecutors, and shelter personnel," reads the 2020 Trafficking in-person report from the United States Department of State (Thailand, 2020). Thailand's government has been trying hard to stamp out sex trafficking, despite the fact that they fall short of international norms. The laws and regulations of politics, as well as a healthy society, are essential to the prosperity, mental and physical health of a nation and its population. International collaboration and support, necessitating a bilateral/multilateral strategy, is a third option that might help in the wake of Thailand's humanitarian disaster. There have been "bilateral agreements with the governments of Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam," (Muangtham, 2016). The only way to end human trafficking is via preventive measures. "trafficked women and children must be regarded victims and not violators or criminals" even while these frameworks and tactics are put into action (Muangtham, 2016). Making these legal agreements with its neighbors has put Thailand in a better position to meet the demand for women and children.

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10 References Bernstein, E., & Shih, E. (2014). The Erotics of Authenticity: Sex Trafficking and “Reality Tourism” in Thailand. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 21(3), 430–460. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://doi.org/10.1093/sp/jxu022 Kiss, L., & Zimmerman, C. (2019). Human trafficking and labor exploitation: Toward identifying, implementing, and evaluating effective responses. PLOS Medicine, 16(1). Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002740 Muangtham, W. (2016). Victims of Human Trafficking in Thailand: A Study of How Victim’s Right is Protected in Criminal Proceedings. PSAKU International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 5(2), 8–16. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://doi.org/10.12778/235108618x15452373185714 Poulin, R. (2003). Globalization and the Trafficking and the Commodification, 3, (38,44) Russell, A. (2014). “Victims of Trafficking”: The Feminisation of Poverty and Migration in the Gendered Narratives of Human Trafficking. Societies, 4(4), 532–548. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4040532 Schaumer, J., Boyes, A., Kanwal, N., & Handrahan, M. (2018, September 11). Sex Tourism in Thailand: What Goes on Beneath the Surface. NAOC. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://natoassociation.ca/sextourism-in-thailand-what-goes-on-beneath-the- surface/ Taylor, I., & Jamieson, R. (1999a). Sex trafficking and the mainstream of market culture. Crime, Law and Social Change, 32(3), 257–278. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1008302724190

11 Thailand. (2021, August 5). United States Department of State. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/thailand/ Trafficking in Thailand: The Demand Fuels Child Trafficking for Sexual Purposes. (2021, September 13). ECPAT. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://ecpat.org/story/trafficking-in-thailand-the-demand-fuelschild-trafficking-for- sexual-purposes/ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2021). Internally Displaced People. UNHCR. Retrieved November 24, 2022 from, https://www.unhcr.org/internally- displacedpeople.html

Conflict and Displacement, Sex Tourism in Thailand

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