Why did it take almost a year to remove child prostitution tourism book?
On Thursday, after a protest initiated through Change.org Amazon removed the Age of Consent: A sex Tourists Guide!
This is how it was promoted on the global book seller, before it was pulled.
The self-published e.book by Peter F. Friedmann – available for free in the Kindle Lending Library – was described this way:
…there are many countries on this planet where the age of consent is as low as 12 or 13, whilst one country has no age limit whatsoever! Before travelling, whether you are going as a backpacker, for business purposes, or as a sex tourist, you need to invest in this comprehensive guide to the age of consent laws in every country in the world! It will keep your fun legal!…This $3.49 will keep you out of jail, possibly the most important few dollars that any red blooded testosterone pumped traveller will spend.
Isn’t that great news? The age of consent as low as 12 or 13 and in one country you, the lucky child sex tourist, you will not be limited by any inconvenient laws to restrict your child shopping!
Until it was threatened with a boycott, Amazon had no qualms about selling this guide to the selling of children for rape – which it had been doing for nine months.
And Amazon wasn’t just offering this handy service to heterosexuals.
This Kindle book relates only to heterosexual sex, if you are gay or lesbian then you need the sister publication Age of Consent: Homosexual Edition.
The company helpfully directs us to other books by Mr Friedmann who no one could accuse of not doing his bit to further the global trade in the bodies of women and children:
Also by the same author – Sex Tourism in Bangkok, Sex Tourism in Pattaya, and Free Webcam Sex: Find Real Girls Don’t Pay A Penny!
Amazon initially went on the defensive, stating:
Amazon believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable. Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however, we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions.
That’s the same line it trotted out when it defending selling The Pedophiles Guide to Love and Pleasure: a child lover’s code of conduct in 2010, following another protest which I wrote about at the time.
The book endorses sexual crimes against children.
The E. book by Phillip R. Greaves, which was available for Amazon’s Kindle electronic reader, is an instructional manual which teaches pedophiles how to break the law so as to avoid getting, caught or so as to attract ‘liter’ [sic] sentences” if they are caught.
In using the term ‘pedosexuals’, the book asserts that the sexual abuse of children (often their own children) is simply a sexual preference. The idea is that pedophiles are a misunderstood sexual minority who ‘love’ children. The book compares the plight of pedophiles to the plight of Jews in World War 2. This is a deadly idea that covers up the reality of what is being promoted: the rape of children.
The book advises on how to find products similar to condoms for ‘boys younger than thirteen’. It gives advice on the best way to use images of children as ‘masturbation material’. It suggests the use of ‘any children you have actually been with, in the past’ in fantasies.
…Amazon’s own policies prohibit content of certain kinds, including “offensive material,” as well as content that “may lead to the production of an illegal item or illegal activity.”
Perhaps teaching men how to rape children and get away with it just wasn’t offensive enough?
At that time child advocates called for the resignation of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos for allowing Amazon.com to sell such titles, citing a “blatant disregard and complete inhumanity” towards child victims.
But Bezos is still there heading up this corporate irresponsibility and books which make it easier to locate children to torture end up promoted and sold through Amazon like they were any other book.
How long will this continue? What can we expect Amazon to bring us next?
August 5th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Just how low are they going to go in this stinking culture? Why aren’t these people prosecuted? Are those in authority ever going to stand up, man up and do something about protecting the vulnerable? We are just getting sicker and sicker
August 5th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
This makes me sick. So over what this world is turning into. Pathetic people out there. These books should of never went to print!!
August 5th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Sick , Sick, Sick. Melinda thank you for continuing to be the amazing advocate you are! All I hope is that the authorities will use the “purchasers list” from amazon to track these criminals and catch them before they assault any more children.
August 5th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
It would appear in this modern world that unless a crime is being committed – and a crime that you could actually be prosecuted for – then go for it. We may not like what Amazon were doing – and they would appear to have no morals – but it is the law that is at fault for allowing the free publication of such books and then their sale. It is the authors, editors and publishers too who should be at fault – and you can be sure they will have checked all relevant legislation before going ahead. So yes – Amazon – have yo no morals – but also – what sort of world and legal system thinks such publications are OK – and every time we warn about such publications, we are giving them more publicity – are we therefore also supporting their spread, in a similar way to Amazon?
August 6th, 2012 at 1:41 am
So glad you are here in this world Melinda. The last story about victimizing those precious kids breaks my heart and brought tears to my eyes. If only they had a voice too.
August 6th, 2012 at 9:41 am
Amazon “support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions”. Even when that ‘puchasing decision’ involves buying a child for sex, apparently. But hey, as long as it’s not illegal, right?
August 8th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Sick bastards, the whole lot of you. Wonder what your own children would think of you if they knew how sick and perverted you are!
September 5th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
I seriously hope the police arrest the authors/ writers and purchasers of these books!!!