Panaji (Goa): It was just a week ago that a video had gone viral showing three women soliciting customers to offer sex service in the very busy and most popular tourist hotspot Calangute. While this video of less than a minute left the State embarrassed, the Goa Womens Forum (GWF) has alleged that one Escort Service website has not even spare religious places wherein it speaks about providing call girls from the Bas ilica of Bom Jesus.
The collective of women volunteers of C ivic and C onsumer F orums has expresse sd serious concern over the unprecedented and blatant promotion of Sex Tourism in the State through the advertising of Escort Services available in Goa.
“The situation has reached such proportions that the Escort service websites are selling sex services by offering College Girls & Housewives and have not even spared religious places as now one Escort service website is shown to provide call girls from the Bas ilica of BomJesus. This website speaks of providing girls for sex http://www.natalyadsouza.co.in/call-girls-in-basilica-of-bom-jesus/” NGO Convener Lorna Fernandes said demanding strict action against the wrong doer.
The Forum has decided to write to the Rector of Basilica de Bom Jesus , Old Goa; Vice Chancellor of Goa University, Director Department of Higher Education and Principal s of Colleges to take immediate preventive measures.
The GWF said it is convinced that such situation prevail s in the State only due to the lethargic attitude of the various government agencies such as the Department of Tourism, Department of Women & Child Development and Goa Police over the last 30 years although the warning signals were given during the protest against the Tourism Master Plan in 1987.
“unless business & trade bodies like the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) and the Shack Owners Welfare Society of Goa (SOWS) take a bold and uncompromising stand against the promotion of Sex Tourism in Goa, the plan to promote Goa as a family tourist destination will be devastated,” she said.
Director of ARZ, Arun Pandey has warned that unless the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of Goa Police and related agencies take preventive measures alongwith the local village communities, Goa will turn into a large brothel with similarities of the situation seen in countries like Thailand and Philippines.
The GWF is hopeful that all MLAs will take cognizance of this harsh reality of these Escort Service websites and resolve to prepare a realistic action plan to end Sex Tourism in Goa.
GWF has also decided to observe a week long campaign “SAY NO TO SEX TOURISM IN GOA” which will culminate on September 27, World Tourism Day.
Team TNV
