'Stop Sex-terrorism!' campaign hopes to change Riga's seedy image

  • 2007-06-15
  • From BNS report
Next Monday several NGOs plan to launch campaign aimed at changing the image of the Latvian capital Riga as a destination for sex-tourism, the Alfa Centrs advertising agency has announced.

Organizers of the campaign, which is titled "Stop Sex-terrorism!," are worried that the local and international media often name Riga as the destination for sex-tourism and low-class nightlife entertainment. The image has been strengthened by the entrance of low-cost airlines, which have provided a considerable increase in the number of foreign tourists coming to Latvia.

"The problem has not been caused just by the rise of the tourist flow, but by the easily accessible sexual services, not only in specially designated places, but also in nightclubs, bars and other places of entertainment," said the creators of the campaign.

By combining the resources of NGOs, media and private companies, the campaign hopes to remedy public indifference to the problem and raise the self-confidence of the society, especially of young women, prompting them consider whether one free drink is worth a one-night stand.