Nun says religion must free women, children from sex tourism industry

Published: 2004-07-19

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNS) -- Religion must play a stronger role in freeing women and children from the rapidly growing sex tourism industry, said a Good Shepherd nun working in Thailand. One way to accomplish this is to change the cultural and patriarchal ways religion views women, said Sister Michelle Lopez. Her remarks were reported by UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. Sister Lopez directs the Fountain of Life Center for women and children in Pattaya, a coastal town in southeast Thailand where tourism has flourished and a commercial sex industry has developed in tandem. Her remarks were made in a paper presented to the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers' Sixth World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism. About 100 people from 31 countries participated in the congress, held July 5-8 in Bangkok.

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