Bali, safe haven for international pedophiles<\/p>\n
Aditya Nusantara and Magdalena Damayanti, Contributors,
\nSingaraja, North Bali<\/p>\n
Although Bali is known around the world for its unique culture
\nand beautiful scenery, it has been attracting more than just
\ntourists wanting to explore its charm. Pedophiles from several
\nforeign countries have been frequenting the resort island,
\naccording to experts and scholars.<\/p>\n
Disguising themselves as rich tourists, numerous overweight
\nmiddle-aged men and business-like visitors, as well as many other
\nforeigners, come to the island with one thing on their minds: to
\nprey on underaged boys and girls, reports said.<\/p>\n
In many parts of the island, mainly in the remote and poor
\nvillages, there is no shortage of boys and girls available to
\nprovide sexual services to these pedophiles. Many poverty-
\nstricken parents cannot afford to send their children to school
\nand allow them to roam the streets and beaches -- public areas
\nthat make them easy targets for adult sex offenders.<\/p>\n
Luh Ketut Suryani, a professor of psychiatry at the Denpasar-
\nbased University of Udayana, said Bali was a popular tourist
\ndestination that could be a safe haven for pedophiles around the
\nworld to stalk their prey.<\/p>\n
\"The illicit practice also occurs in several Asian tourist
\nhubs, such as Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and
\nnow Myanmar,\" the professor said.<\/p>\n
Over the last few years, cases of pedophilia have been
\ndocumented extensively in the United States and some European
\ncountries, and involve adults from various backgrounds, ranging
\nfrom celebrities and executives to even religious leaders.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the 1997 case of Robot Gedek, who allegedly
\nsodomized and killed a number of street children, shocked those
\nliving in the capital.<\/p>\n
Bali also reported a case of pedophilia when an Italian
\ntourist, Mario Manarra, was accused of fondling and sodomizing
\nyoung boys in the Lovina beach area near Singaraja of North Bali
\nin August last year. This was the first case of pedophilia that
\nwent to trial in Bali. He was sentenced to 10 months in jail.<\/p>\n
\"Reports of pedophilia in Bali and anywhere else in Indonesia
\nare only the tip of the iceberg. We only know what is on the
\nsurface. In reality, it's so dangerous and life threatening to
\nour children, our future generation,\" the professor said.<\/p>\n
Pedophilia, she said, was a type of psychosexual disorder in
\nwhich adults -- men or women -- were only sexually attracted to
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
\"Many pedophiles usually have a low self-esteem and see sexual
\nactivity with a child as more arousing and less threatening than
\nwith an adult,\" Suryani said. Their sexual activities vary from
\ngenital display to sexual intercourse.<\/p>\n
In western countries, pedophilia is considered a very serious
\nsexual offense. These countries have stern laws and regulations
\nagainst pedophiles and enforce very severe penalties against
\nadults who have sex with children.<\/p>\n
Pedophilia often involves forced action and violence against
\nchildren. \"They are abusing children who are still physically and
\nemotionally vulnerable,\" Suryani said. That is why, in western
\ncountries, the younger the child and the greater the difference
\nin age between the pedophile and the victim, the more severe the
\npunishment was, she said.<\/p>\n
The Philippines and Thailand, she said, had strict laws
\nagainst pedophiles and set up a cooperation with the
\nInternational Police (Interpol) and the pedophiles' countries of
\norigin to collaborate in apprehending them.<\/p>\n
Strangely, Suryani said, the Balinese and its authorities do
\nnot seem to mind or be aware of this dangerous social issue.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has ratified the United Nations Convention on
\nChildren's Rights, however, the nation is not so serious in
\nimplementing it into law. Crimes and violence against children
\nare contained in articles 289 to 298 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).<\/p>\n
Fortunately, there are a number of civil society groups
\nconcerned about children's welfare. They include Lembaga
\nPerlindungan Anak (Children Protection Agency) and Komite
\nPendidikan Anak-Anak Kreatif Indonesia (Education Committee of
\nCreative Indonesian Children) in Jakarta; Girli in Yogyakarta;
\nand Kelompok Sadar (Awareness Group) in Surabaya, East Java.<\/p>\n
\"In Bali, we have just set up the Committee Against Sexual
\nAbuse (CASA), which will help those suffering from traumatic
\nchildhood experiences,\" Suryani said.<\/p>\n
Across Asia, tens of thousands of children are pushed into the
\nsex trade each year. According to the International Labor
\nOrganization (ILO), at least one million children work as formal
\nand informal prostitutes. In Asia, including Indonesia, practices
\nof child prostitution and child sexual abuse have been on the
\nrise.<\/p>\n
In Bali, several villages, including Ban, Tianyar and Pedaha
\nin Karang Asem, East Bali -- one of the poorest regencies in Bali
\n-- have become popular among pedophiles for being safe places. In
\nthe Buleleng regency of North Bali, numerous pedophiles look for
\nchildren in villages such as Lovina beach, Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem,
\nKayu Putih, Selata and Anturan.<\/p>\n
\"Poverty is still blamed as the underlying reason for
\npedophiles operating in the areas. The majority of parents (of
\nexploited children) work as cheap unskilled laborers or farmers,
\nwho have to spend most of their time in the field,\" said Suryani.<\/p>\n
Rohman, a staff member at Yayasan Anak Kita Foundation, said
\npedophile cases in Bali were alarming. Between l992 and 2002, the
\nfoundation had discovered that 13 suspected pedophiles were
\nactively operating in Bali, and there were at least 60 victims
\naged five years old to 13 years old who reported their stories of
\nabuse. This number excludes other victims who have not yet come
\nforward, Rohman said.<\/p>\n
From data and information available on the subject, centers
\nfor pedophiles are located in the famous art village of Ubud
\nalong with other areas, such as Seminyak, Kuta, Lovina and
\nKarangasem.<\/p>\n
\"Some pedophiles may know each other and hold regular meetings
\nin Kuta,\" said Rohman, who declined to name his sources. \"If I
\nmentioned their names, they would be in danger.\"<\/p>\n
A number of children and teenagers, he said, had disappeared
\nfor unknown reasons, and the foundation's reports were not
\nproperly processed.<\/p>\n
The foundation, which has conducted a comprehensive
\ninvestigation into pedophilia since l998, said that l973 might
\nhave been the first time pedophiles arrived in Bali. \"They were
\ndisguised as tourists from Germany,\" the study said.<\/p>\n
In the l980s, Kuta was a major destination for European
\npedophiles, especially those from Germany and France, the study
\nsaid. Karangasem was their next target. Acting as generous and
\nkind-hearted people, pedophiles won the hearts of locals by
\nclaiming to be \"foster fathers\" who sought needy children around
\nBali, and promised parents they would provide a better education
\nand future for their children, the study said.<\/p>\n
\"They were regarded as 'Santa Clauses' in those poor villages.
\nNobody had the courage to report their sexual misconduct toward
\nchildren and students,\" Rohman said.<\/p>\n
He said that to facilitate their illegal sexual activities,
\npedophiles bribed parents with money, food, other basic needs and
\nhousehold goods, while local village heads and police officials
\nobtained various \"incentives\" in the form of donations, village
\nimprovement projects, health and education training and rental
\ncars for police officers.<\/p>\n
Lenient punishment and people's lack of awareness on the
\ndangers of pedophiles' activities have encouraged irresponsible
\npeople to exploit local children.<\/p>\n
Unless Indonesia enacts the necessary laws and regulations to
\nprotect its children, pedophiles from around the globe will be
\nable to operate in Bali and other places across the nation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bali-safe-haven-for-international-pedophiles-1447893297",
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