Latin American Governments Looking the Other Way on Sexual Tourism

As many as fifteen Latin American governments have balked at their commitments to stave off sexual crimes against minors, according to Bruce Harry, regional representative of ECPAT, a world organization.

ECPAT (Elimination of Children´s Pornography, Abuse and Trade) issued a recent report on the implementation follow-up of national plans and programs against that scourge.

In 2001, 159 governments worldwide upheld an action plan against these crimes involving children. Today, however, only 39 (barely 25 percent of the total) have made good on their promise to put effective plans into practice.

In today´s world, some 2 million boys and girls suffer from sexual exploitation. Estimates for this year are adding another million kids to the grim numbers. "For all of them, these three years might seem forever," Mr. Harry said in a press conference.