Sex tourism in Mombasa is not only illegal, but it is also an incredibly dangerous practice for the children involved. Trace Kenya, a local organization that works to rescue children from the sex trade, has taken a stand against the practice by introducing a new initiative.
Child sex workers
Kenya’s coastal communities have become popular destinations for underage prostitutes. A UNICEF study shows that up to 30 percent of girls aged twelve to eighteen in Kenyan resort towns are involved in the sex trade. While most victims are locals, some are trafficked from other areas of the country for sexual slavery.
Children are often lured into the trade by friends, family, or strangers who offer them a job as a prostitute. Pimps, brokers, and transporters facilitate the trade. Men approach most victims. There is also a growing number of married girls, some of whom are following the lure of big money.
One of the main drivers of underage prostitution in Kenya is poverty. Many families are struggling to make ends meet, and children are often recruited to work on the streets or in supermarkets. Polygamy also leaves girls and women vulnerable. These are some of the reasons that human rights groups are calling for a crackdown on the sex industry.
In many parts of the coastal region, sex tourism is an important economic sector. Tourism accounts for ten percent of Kenya’s gross domestic product, with the industry generating millions of jobs. This, in turn, has led to an increase in demand for sex with younger women. It has also made it more difficult for authorities to prosecute the trade.
As a result, there are increasing reports of child sex workers in Mombasa. According to Trace Kenya, a nonprofit group that works with the United Nations, there are thousands of child sex workers in the area. But the government has been hesitant to do anything about the sex trade for fear of turning away tourists. Despite this, sex tourists are not being put off.
Sex tourism is a growing industry, and it is one that continues to attract international travelers to the coast. European men represent half of the clients. They pay a few hundred dollars to have sex with a girl. However, white men who travel from countries like Canada and the US pay five times that amount for sex.
Although the DCI’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) has stepped up its personnel, it has only a handful of officers in the city. Most cases are settled through complicity within the community. The organization plans to open a third office in Kisumu to combat this.
In the past seven years, Trace Kenya has rescued 10,000 children from the sex trade. In addition, the organization has provided a safe place for rescued children to stay while they are rehabilitated. Activists are calling for the government to do more to stop the sex industry. Some have even gone as far as adopting needy children to help them get a start in life.
The problem of child sex is complex and hard to break. Some young girls are pushed into the trade by their friends and relatives, while others are forced into it by criminal syndicates. Both the government and human rights groups are working to end the trade.
Laws against sex tourism
Sex tourism is a thriving industry in the port city of Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya. There is a strong sex trade in the area, and a number of foreigners are involved. It has been estimated that up to 30,000 girls between the ages of 12 and 14 are being lured into hotels for sexual exploitation.
The government has responded by introducing laws to protect children from prostitution. A number of hotels have imposed policies to restrict the entry of under-18s. However, this is rarely enforced. In order to get into a club, teenage girls often pay bribes. Some even endure unorthodox sexual activities. These practices are largely covered up for image purposes.
While the government believes the law has done a lot to curb sex in Mombasa, many young people are still engaged in this practice. According to a UNICEF report, one in 10 Kenyan sex workers began before their puberty. Many are knowledgeable about HIV and AIDS. They are paid five times more than local laborers.
Some argue that tourists do not need to engage in such activities. In fact, there are issues of human trafficking in Kenya. Even so, the market for sex is growing. Tourism is a major source of income in the country, accounting for 10% of its gross domestic product.
Although the government has made it illegal to promote or encourage sex tourism, many tourists are doing it anyway. Several states have enacted laws targeting those promoting sex tours. Those promoting sex tourism are usually travel agents or other people.
There are also a number of NGOs that are fighting sex tourism in the country, but the vast majority of these organizations focus on potential funding instead of helping victims. As a result, the problem has been blown out of proportion.
One organization that has a real impact in the battle against sex tourism is Respect, an Austrian NGO that is a key partner in the International Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. This code, along with the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit in Mombasa, is working to increase reporting of cases of sex and other child-related offenses. Another group, Trace Kenya, is working to rescue girls from the trade.
A special task force has been set up to monitor tourists who may be indulging in sex and child exploitation. In addition, the government is teaching local brothel operators about sex tourism and how to deal with tourists.
Despite these efforts, the number of children whom sexual predators in the coastal region are exploiting is on the rise. One researcher found that nearly 30% of girls aged 12 to 18 are involved in sex work in the coastal regions. Meanwhile, a recent report shows that 35 percent of girls did not use condoms at their client’s request.
Trace Kenya’s work to rescue girls from the sex trade
Trace Kenya, a nonprofit organization based in Nairobi, is doing its part to rescue girls from the sex trade. In the last two years, the organization has assisted at least 73 women and girls who have been trafficked. Many of these victims have been neglected and forced into domestic servitude or prostitution. Some are even raped. The organization is working in partnership with the United Nations and other organizations to combat sex trafficking and protect the rights of its victims.
Sex trafficking is a global problem. In Kenya, traffickers often exploit children from neighboring East African countries, including Uganda and Ethiopia. While the Kenyan government has taken commendable steps to address child trafficking, much more work remains. Strong laws, better enforcement, and more protection for vulnerable young people are needed.
One of the most important factors contributing to the escalating problem of trafficking is the lack of awareness about it among Kenyans. For example, many women are not aware that they are victims and thus do not seek assistance. This makes it easier for the perpetrators to exploit them. Observers have reported that the Kenyan government is not doing enough to enforce international trafficking laws.
During the first six months of the year, Kenyan authorities reported a number of cases of sexual exploitation, including the arrest of two Nepalese women and girls. These women were found in a club in Mombasa owned by a local businessman. They were photographed naked for a live stream to the US. Another case involved German national Gregory Dow who pleaded guilty in a US court for sexually abusing girls in Kenya.
Trace Kenya estimates there are at least 30,000 child sex workers in Kenya, with more than half of them being European men. A majority of them work in the same building.
According to the organization’s research, traffickers use a variety of means to lure potential victims, such as employment agencies. These agencies recruit Kenyans to work in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. Those who are recruited may be recruited for the purpose of sexual exploitation but are not protected by the law. Additionally, Kenyans are exploited by criminal syndicates that collude with immigration and border officials to transport victims to the West.
Although there has been some progress in the fight against human trafficking in Kenya, the country is not yet able to meet the standards set by the US State Department and other NGOs. Traffickers have access to fraudulent identity documents provided by complicit government officials. Further, some perpetrators are able to escape prosecution by paying bribes to police officers.
A new hotline was also launched in Kenya to report trafficking crimes. Moreover, the Kenyan government has launched a joint training program with the government of Burundi and Tanzania to address forced labor cases. The government has also increased its personnel dedicated to specialized anti-trafficking police units.