Law prohibits the marketing of 'sex tours'

Advertiser Staff

A new state law — the first of its kind in the country — makes marketing or selling "sex tours" a Class C felony in Hawai'i, punishable by up to five years in prison.

The legislation, which expands the definition of the "promotion of prostitution" to include sex tours, was prompted by a complaint filed with the state two years ago by Equality Now, a New York-based women's right organization.

The complaint arose from the operation of a business called Video Travel, which offered sex tours to Thailand.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs investigated the business, owned by Honolulu resident Melvin Hamaguchi. Last month the department revoked Hamaguchi's license, based on failure to disclose required information on his licensing forms, not because of the sex tours themselves, said Jo Ann Uchida of the department's Regulated Industries Complaints Office.

Hamaguchi agreed to the revocation of five years, according to the settlement document.

Antonia Kirkland, Equality Now program coordinator, said many states have laws on promoting prostitution that could be applied to sex tours, "but this specifically spells it out. It makes it easier for prosecutors to bring a case."