View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by British Columbia's network of post-secondary digital repositories IMPROVING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO COMBAT TRANSNATIONAL CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: AN ANALYSIS OF BILATERAL COOPERATION IN CHILD SEX TOURISM CASES INVOLVING THAILAND AND CANADA by Samantha de Vries Bachelor of Arts Degree, Criminology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2011 Diploma, Law and Security Administration, Durham College, 2009 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (CRIMINAL JUSTICE) In the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice © Samantha de Vries 2018 UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY Summer 2018 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. Approval Name: Samantha de Vries Degree: Master of Arts (Criminal Justice) Degree Title: Improving International Cooperation to Combat Transnational Child Sexual Exploitation: An Analysis of Bilateral Cooperation in Child Sex Tourism Cases involving Thailand and Canada Examining Committee Amanda McCormick, PhD GPC Chair Director, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice ____________________________________________________________ Yvon Dandurand, M.A. Senior Supervisor Associate Professor, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Hayli Millar, PhD Second Supervisor Associate Professor, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice ____________________________________________________________ Curt Griffiths, PhD External Examiner Professor Simon Fraser University ____________________________________________________________ Date Defended/Approved: _______________________________________________________ Abstract Thailand and Canada have an interest in improving international cooperation in child sex tourism cases as both countries have made international commitments to protect children from exploitation. Despite these commitments, child sexual exploitation by some Canadians still occurs in Thailand for complex reasons including a lower risk of detection, the availability of poor and vulnerable children, a lack of political will, and an established sex tourism industry. A triangulated strategy was used which comprised of a literature review, 24 qualitative interviews with key informants working in Thailand and Canada, and nine illustrative case reviews. The 24 interviews document key informant’s respective experiences of international cooperation, various challenges, and possible recommendations for improvement. Key findings include the importance of interpersonal relationships between all involved officials in transnational cases, barriers in formal and informal cooperation exercises such as the admissibility of foreign evidence, translations, time delays, securing video testimony, corruption, locating cooperative witnesses, and the importance of online investigations. Acknowledgements This author wishes to acknowledge the Thailand Institute of Justice for facilitating the authors two research trips and assisting in contacting key informants, and supervisors Yvon Dandurand and Hayli Millar whose support and guidance made this research possible. Dedication This research is dedicated to the child victims of sexual abuse committed by foreign offenders. This research aims to highlight the substantial impact transnational child sex offenders have on children, and to draw attention to the importance of combatting child sex tourism to help prevent exploitation and protect children. This author also wishes to dedicate this research to the police, prosecutors, judges, and NGOs, who give their time, energy, and compassion to transnational child exploitation cases and work to eradicate child exploitation and bring transnational offenders to justice. Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. iv Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Literature Review of Informal and Formal Means of International and Bilateral Cooperation in Relation to Investigating Transnational Crimes ......................................... 7 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 52 Research Findings ............................................................................................................................... 56 Theme 1: Partnership Building Between Law Enforcement Agencies and Involved Officials to Enhance International Cooperation and Improve Prosecution and Conviction of Offenders ................................................................................................................................................................. 57 Theme 2: Tracking Known Offenders to Prevent and Respond to Child Sex Tourism ...... 97 Theme 3: Dismantling Transnational Offender Networks and The Role Technology Plays ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 106 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................... 115 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 132 Recommendations for More Effective Partnership Building between Law Enforcement Agencies and Involved Officials to Enhance International Cooperation and Improve Prosecution and Convictions of Offenders .............................................................................................. 133 Recommendations for Tracking Known Offenders to Prevent and Respond to Child Sex Tourism ...................................................................................................................................................................... 133 Recommendations for Dismantling Transnational Offender Networks and the Role Technology Plays ................................................................................................................................................... 135 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 138 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 141 Appendices ......................................................................................................................................... 154 Appendix A: Ethics Approval ........................................................................................................ 154 Appendix B: Interview Questions ............................................................................................... 155 Appendix C: Similarities Among Nine Canadian Offender Cases ..................................... 157 Glossary i. ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations (comprising of ten nations; Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam) ii. ASEANAPOL – ASEAN Region Multinational Police Force iii. CAD – Canadian Dollar iv. CBSA – Canada Border Services Agency v. CCAICE – Canadian Coalition Against Internet Child Exploitation vi. CCC – Canadian Criminal Code vii. CRC – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child viii. CSE – Child Sexual Exploitation ix. CST – Child Sex Tourism x. DOJ – Department of Justice Canada xi. DSI – Department of Special Investigations Thailand xii. ECPAT – End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes Organization xiii. EU – European Union xiv. EUROPOL – The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation xv. EJN – European Judicial Network xvi. FANC CE – Foreign Anti Narcotic and Crime Child Exploitation working group xvii. I247 – Interpol 24/7 chat system xviii. IAG – International Assistance Group in Canada xix. IJM – International Justice Mission xx. INTERPOL – International Criminal Police Organization xxi. IRPA – Immigration and Refugee Protection Act xxii. ISP – Internet Service Provider xxiii. IP Address – Internet Provider Address xxiv. MLAT – Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty request xxv. MOU – Memorandum of Understanding xxvi. NCECC - Canada’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre xxvii. NGO – Non-Government Organization xxviii. NSOR – National Sex Offender Registry Canada xxix. OAG – Office of the Auditor General of Canada xxx. OSOR – Ontario Sex Offender Registry xxxi. PIPEDA – The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act Canada xxxii. PPSC – Public Prosecution Service of Canada xxxiii. P2P – Peer to peer network (private network used for sharing information, data, and files) xxxiv. RCMP – Royal Canadian Mounted Police xxxv. RTP – Royal Thai Police xxxvi. TCSO – Transnational Child Sex Offender xxxvii. TCSE – Transnational child sexual exploitation xxxviii. THB – Thai Baht xxxix. TICAC – Thailand Internet