Australia has launched a campaign to wipe out sex tourism.
New adverts warn offenders that they can be prosecuted in Australia even if their crimes are committed elsewhere, this follows from the recent introduction of stringent new laws.
Committing a sex crime against a child in another country is now punishable by 25 years in jail.
Hetty Johnston from the Queensland-based child protection charity, Bravehearts, said: “What we know is that it is increasingly difficult for sex offenders to get away with their crimes in Australia because of the increased level of awareness.
“So it is an option – and a very attractive option – for child-sex offenders to actually travel overseas to places where children are not so protected.
“Anything at all that we can do to stop that – we are all for. We just don’t believe persons convicted of child sex offences should be allowed to leave the country without reason.”
The Aussie government has vowed to combat the “increasingly depraved and corrupt activities” of child-sex tourists.
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