Kenneth Klassen – sex tourist, child pornographer and predator is behind bars for 11 years. Preying on girls as young as nine in Cambodia and Columbia this guy video taped himself engaging in rape and was arrested when he tried to import and pick up the videos some time later. After further investigation more tapes were found in his storage locker located in Burnaby, BC.

He was arrested, charged on 35 various sexual assault, procurement and pornography related counts and found guilty after pleading on 14 counts. There are probably many victims through his travels that we and the courts will never hear from which makes it all the more hard to take. Such is the trail of destruction left behind from these creatures.

What first goes through my head is the frustration with an 11 year sentence which by some standards is a large sentence to be handed down for such a case. Secondly, his apparent apology “I”m sorry for what I have done with all my heart” which nobody ever takes seriously – if anyone buys that line they are as sick as he is.

He is one man who got caught, in a sea of others of like mind, that continue to exploit, abuse and degrade these children. As their appetite for abuse is not satisfied in their own backyard they make a well calculated plan to research and travel to destinations that have vulnerable, innocent children forced into sexual slavery.

It is not like these countries Cambodia, Columbia, Philippines, Thailand or Africa don’t know this is going on. Due to poverty, corruption and a lack of will to properly protect defenseless women and children the pornography and sex tourism industry flourishes. It is not underground anymore. We are all familiar with its existence; we are disgusted by Klassen but behind the hat and glasses that he tried to disguise himself with, is a normal looking man.

That is a problem, we just can’t pick these less than animals out of a crowd. They lead seemingly normal lives and yet here they are taking off to foreign lands to do what is the unthinkable for the rest of us. How much is that girls life worth? Over a dozen girls images and stories were brought to this case but knowing there is more… that is not even one year per victim. What do you think his time served will be?

Eventually, Kenneth Klassen will be out. Yes, he will continue to have restrictions placed on him. No, there is no way to ensure he will be reformed. Yes, our laws are not strong enough. No, we don’t want him in our neighbourhoods or to travel elsewhere.

It is a fact of life that these monsters inhabit our earth but given how much our world has opened up both through travel and Internet we have a whole other playground these guys frequent. What can we do?

For other stories I have covered such as this check out:

A Sparkle of Hope

Jack Crone – Curiosity Killed the Cat

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