Women groups decry promotion of sex tourism through escort services

the goan I network
MARGAO
The Goa Women's Forum (GWF) a collective of women volunteers of ​Civic and Consumer Forums has expressed serious concern over unprecedented and blatant promotion of sex tourism in ​the State​ through the advertising of escort services available in Goa.
Convenor Lorna Fernandes in a statement issued on Sunday said the situation has reached such proportions that the escort service websites are selling sex services by offering college girls and housewives and have not even spared religious places as now one escort service website is shown to provide call girls from the Baslica of Bom Jesus.http://www.natalyadsouza.co.in /call-girls-in-basilica-of-bom -jesus/
She said the Goa Women's Forum is convinced that such a situation prevail​s in the State of Goa 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.
"We are convinced ​that 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.
Lorna said the GWF is hopeful that all the MLA's participating in the ongoing session of the Goa Legislative Assembly 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.
Meanwhile GWF 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 about the promotion of sex tourism through escort service websites so that they can take immediate preventive measures.
​GWF ​has also decided to observe ​a​ week long campaign "SAY NO TO SEX TOURISM IN GOA" ​which ​will culminat​e​ on September​ 27,​ World Tourism Day.