Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-03-30-Speech-4-086"
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"en.20000330.4.4-086"2
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"Mrs Klamt has presented a good report today. I am delighted Mr Marchiani’s amendments reaffirming the criminal nature of child sex tourism have been incorporated but, at the same time, I am disappointed at the rejection of other amendments tabled by my colleague which were intended to strengthen the principles set out in the text, without altering its general meaning.
Obviously, this form of ‘tourism’ is a crime. How else could we, as parents, especially mothers, and elected representatives, doubly responsible for the continuity of our societies, regard these acts, all the more heinous because they are committed against the weakest of all? But should we be astonished at this phenomenon when, at the same time, the development of prostitution, more generally, does not cause offence? How can we criminalise the perverts who go to the ends of the earth to violate children without, at the same time, condemning the pimps and clients who exploit girls from the East attracted to our countries by lies, and even by force?
This is an area where double standards must apply least of all. Belgian society is currently being rocked by paedophile trials, and similar proceedings often go on in our own countries. The poverty of some parts of the world is certainly used by irresponsible adults to try to explain the unjustifiable sexual exploitation of children. Nevertheless, the permissiveness of our societies, the libertarian views some people express, even in this House, are undoubtedly the essential root of this evil, with geographical remoteness just an illusory and gratuitous excuse for the depraved. We cannot rejoice at so-called taboos collapsing, and then lament crimes which are merely the consequence of the disappearance of rules that are natural to all social life.
We must condemn these practices. Our respective states must take the necessary measures to prosecute and sentence those found guilty. But back home, in our own countries and towns, we must combat the sexual exploitation of children, which is only the most despicable form of sexual exploitation of any human being. The dignity of the individual, of the weakest in particular and of all in general, must be our guideline, in this area as in any other."@en1
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