Child trafficking and exploitation are in part fueled by sex tourism.  Increasingly, to our frustration, this trend in tourism is becoming more and more prevalent.  At the fringes of this trend, pedophiles are using mainstream means to exploit children.

Our Director of Asia Prevention, Dr. Glenn Miles, recently advised us that Amazon.com has been selling a book that has become particularly problematic.  Age of Consent: A Sex Tourists Guide is popular amongst men abusing and exploiting children, particularly in Southeast Asia

Here's the Action

We are encouraging Love146 Task Forces and our other friends to ask Amazon to remove this title and consider ways they could better screen their product offering to ensure they are doing what they can to protect children.

We are not encouraging a boycott.  In the past we have found Amazon to be willing to remove titles that exploit children.  We would rather seek to work with them cooperatively for change.  At the same time, another benefit to engaging people on this Action Item is encouraging your community to consider how, and with who, you spend your money.

Step 1: Send a letter to Jeff Bezos and Christopher North, President and CEO of Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

In the Resources section is a sample letter for groups or individuals to send to Jeff Bezos, President and CEO of Amazon.com and to Christopher North, President and CEO of Amazon.co.uk.  We encourage you to use this or follow this template closely.  If you want, drop your Task Force logo on it … but that is not necessary.  We think that if Amazon gets a number of these letters and they all look a little different, we will be more personal, than “campaign like”.

You can download the sample letter to Jeff Bezos (USA) here: www.146taskforce.org/resources-community/letter-amazoncom

You can download the sample letter to Christopher North (UK) here: http://146taskforce.org/resources-community/letter-amazoncouk

Step 2: Call Amazon to ask for change

You can also make a phone call Amazon to ask for change.  Many times an organization will consider one phone call to be worth a number of letters.

Amazon.com: 866-216-1072 (press 4) or outside the US 206-266-2992 (press 4)

If you call please be supportive and polite. 

Here is a sample sound bite:

“I’m calling because I really like doing business with Amazon, but I’m concerned that the company could be doing more to protect children.  You are currently selling a book called Age of Consent: A Sex Tourists Guide.  Both in the content of the book and the way you are promoting its, this product creates opportunities for pedophiles to pursue sex with children.  As an Amazon customer, I’m hoping Amazon will consider dropping this title and consider ways that the company to better protect children going forward.  Thanks so much for listening and being willing to pass on my concern to whomever might be able to affect change.”

Step 3: Email Jeff Bezos and Christopher North

Follow up your letter and call to Amazon.com with an email to Jeff Bezos.  The sample template for the letter can be used for the email as well.  While we understand that it is much more convenient to send an email, we encourage you to write a letter or call if you can-- it speaks much more powerfully, and is more difficult to ignore.

Jeff Bezos (USA): Jeff@amazon.com.

Christopher North (UK): cnorth@amazon.com

Step 4: Future Action 

We may elect to pursue Amazon in an organized way using social media later.  At this time we would prefer you not do that.  We would like to use phone calls, letters and emails in a more understated approach, before we publically do any instigating!

Step 5: Spread the word!

Send this information to your contacts. Host a letter write-a-thon in your community to make sure Amazon hears from many voices.

If you have any questions about engaging Amazon with your Task Force or another group, feel free to contact one of the admins.