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A voice against the rising trend of Sex Tourism in Ukraine
A nationwide women’s organization in Ukraine have risen against the prevalence of sexual journeys in the region. One of the non-governmental organizations in Ukraine, FEMEN has started on a nationwide movement of a 50person, awareness raising show, displaying vividly the corruption prevailing in sex tourism in Ukraine.

The women members have condemned the entire tourism management of Ukraine, for making it one of the crudest sex destinations in the world. “This is insulting to us [women] and it harms the country’s image since we’re increasingly becoming a country of destination for tourists whose sole purpose is to have sex with our women,” complained Anna Hutsol, the leader of FEMEN.

This is the real scenario behind the glitz and glamour of one of the celebrated European countries. The huge bevy of splendid beauties and the variety in sexual extravagance is what that pulls in the maximum of the crowd to the destination. Named and renamed as sex destination, Ukraine abounds in opportunities ready to be explored sexually at any hour. This has eventually led to the formation of a dark criminal den of corruption and exploitation.

Besides the non-governmental social awareness organizations, the government is also taking a keen eye on improving the social and moral status of the country. The government officials as well as the media are also seeking out ways to stop the sexual rampant in the country.

The 50-person campaign by the students and the organizers of FEMEN is a voice against the intention with which a wide section of tourists from all across the globe visits Ukraine in search of sex. The activists protested that the matter not only demean their country as a whole but also attack their individual dignity. Infact, Hutsol also includes that the women are faced with several embarrassing questionnaires and situations in other countries as well as in getting visas for traveling abroad.

However, the government officials as well as the media and entertainment sector reveals that it is quite difficult to trace the count of tourists coming by to have sex in the country. “The growing amount of sex tourists entering Ukraine has not escaped us, but it is very difficult to measure their numbers,” said Andriy Shenin, an expert at the state tourism administration.

Statistics reveal that in 2007 alone the country was flooded with more than 23 million foreigners; that count for a mighty 22 percent to that on 2006. While most of the visitors to the country belong to Soviet republics, the cause of the huge difference in the visitors’ population between the two consecutive years is due to the tourists from European Union and other nonCIS nations.

Besides the sexual exploitation, the government also records a plethoric rate of prostitution that is visibly prevalent in Ukraine. Referring to the growing rate of prostitution as a form of legal profession, Anna Hutsol says “Most women I spoke with are ashamed and do this out of poverty but some also do it out of material desire.” The immensely low-paying stipends and the rising unemployment amongst the graduates have led these young and fresh graduates to seek the toughest way of easy income. Theodore Koumelis - Thursday, October 16, 2008