I was really interested in this news article I found on CNN. When I took African Studies, I researched the secondary education of females in West Africa and I learned about sexual abuse that occurs in many of the schools. As I dug deeper, I found that the highest rates of sexual abuse of girls in Africa and South East Asia are a result of "sexual tourism". Folks travel to these places, commit their crimes with under age girls, and go back home.
This article deals with the issue of two Australians on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking charges. The Indonesian government has had numerous pleas to release these two men back to Australia, but they have remained steadfast in their conviction that these men should be put to death.
I related this to what I learned in my previous class because they are similar situations but with radically different approaches to accountability. If foreign countries took a firmer hand to tourists breaking the laws would there be less "sexual tourism" or drug trafficking?
Let's take Mexico for example. Granted, you can bribe your way out of almost everything, but if you get caught stealing in Mexico, you go to "Mexico jail". Folks definitely go there for fun, but for the most part, you know not to mess around in Mexico, or Indonesia for that matter!
However, I think there should be more consistency in the ways that countries deal with foreigners who commit serious crimes. Any thoughts??
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/17/asia/australians-indonesia-death-row/index.html
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