Protecting Bali's Kids

(11/23/2009)

The coordinator of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB), Ngurah Wijaya, has called on the people and law enforcement agencies in Bali to take a firm line in the fight against pedophilia in order to safeguard Bali's future.

Speaking to the national news agency ANTARA, Wijaya said: "The people should be especially vigilant against these violations of the law. Don't hesitate to report cases and perpetrators. This is not just about preserving Bali's tourism image, but also about protecting the nation's future."

Bali has experienced a number of high-profile cases of pedophilia, some committed by international tourists who have found Bali convenient for their criminal acts.

According to Wijaya, while tourism makes an important contribution to Bali's economy, it is not correct to label pedophilia a negative excess of tourism, as pedophilia offenses also occur within the non-tourist sectors of society.

At the same time, Wijaya said that it is well known that pedophiles often utilize international networks to exchange information on potential targets. Moreover, such criminals will go to great lengths to devise means to provide them access to their victims, including finding employment opportunities that put them in close proximity to children. "In this instance, law enforcement can take a large role with immigration publishing black lists of known pedophiles."

Separately, the General Manager of the Hotel Nikko, Jean Charles Le Coz, said most pedophiles perform their criminal activities outside of hotels. "We urge the public, particularly parents, to pay attention to the children. This involves the coming generation," Le Coz warned.

Le Coz also explained how hotel staff safeguard the hotel guests. He explained that if a hotel has a children's play area or a child-care center, these areas will always be supervised by hotel staff.

Le Coz also warned that issues with a Western taint are oftentimes not seen objectively by the public who fail to remember that many pedophile cases involve perpetrators from the local indigenous community.