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Sex Trafficking Issues

Decent Essays

It seems as though every issue that is argued by the American people seems to be, in one way or another, debating the age old question of freedom versus equality. The case of Richard Schmidt’s Cambodian adventures in sex tourism certainly argues this question, while at the same time it extends beyond the traditional argument. Schmidt’s case extends beyond the bounds of the American border, and for this reason it begs the question; can you ever escape the freedom (or lack thereof) of the American Government, even outside the country? The 2004 law passed under George W. Bush seems to argue otherwise, though there are definitely reasons which support the law. Sex trafficking, especially child sex trafficking, certainly has a black eye from nearly …show more content…

Again, I see the issue as humanitarian rather than solely legal, and I feel that it is the world’s communal responsibility to address such issues. When it comes to such highly unethical crimes like child sex trafficking, I think that we have a global responsibility to address the issue. I do foresee two types of people being opposed to international involvement; those who are simply opposed to foreign nationals within their borders for government-based purposes, and criminals; criminals who may be promoting sex trafficking, and therefore want to keep their borders protected, or criminals who may have something else to hide, such as poor social conditions or illegal possession of weapons; either way, a problem which would be widely criticized by the majority of the world. With that said, I feel that the United States should appeal to other nations before being involved, as the Anderson article states: “The U.S. investigators overseas stay in close contact with their foreign law enforcement counterparts and work together to develop information on potential child predator suspects”. I do believe it would extend beyond our welcomed reach if we simply entered other nations to work to solve their crimes without any degree of communication. We …show more content…

Of the pillars of this theory, I find that the concept of hedonism is most applicable; the emphasis of pleasure over pain absolutely is at play here; I find it unlikely that sex tourists are unaware that their adventures are crimes, yet they find the joy of the experience to be worth the risk of being caught. Additionally, by fleeing the country, they all but eliminate the risk of penalties, a truth which only increases their potential pleasure (mind you, this could all change with the international intervention of the United States Government). The importance of human rights under the classical theory is also extremely important, as we should view human rights as just that; universal rights for all, not just American Citizens. We still do give all criminals equal treatment under the law, even if they are indicted while on foreign soil, they are given a chance to see a lawyer and respond to the charges just the same as they would were they in America. Finally, I find that the classical idea that crimes are individually committed is likely at play in this scenario; sex tourism is certainly a rational decision by the violator and is not influenced directly by any environmental factors. They seek the experience, and then go and commit the crime. On the other hand, I think it’s possible to argue that the neoclassical school of

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