Sexual exploitation of women

Women are often regarded as sex objects to gratify man's sexual desire, and in this respect women may fall victim to unwanted sexual advances from men. Force, sometimes fatal, may be used against a woman by a man in his attempt to force himself upon her: there are laws to deal with such offences but the intricacies of law enforcement frequently prove inadequate or fail completely, and there is often laxity in dealing with the sexual offences.

The exploitation of women for sexual purposes results in slavery, discrimination against women in marriage and generally before the law and in employment. It limits women's freedom indirectly as well as directly and also includes violations such as rape and other sexual assaults. Blackmail and intimidation of women is used by pimps to obtain and keep ascendancy over prostitutes.

Discrimination against women encourages global sexual exploitation, which is enhanced by double standards of morality and lack of sex education. Among the many aspects of sexual exploitation of women, sex tourism is a growing form of exploitation of Third World women as more and more agencies advertise "pleasure" vacations - particularly to Thailand. Approximately 1.5 million tourists visit Thailand every year, many for the sex alone.