|
Prostitutes rally against sex work crackdown
October 7, 2004
Seoul - About 2,800 prostitutes wearing face masks and sunglasses to shield
their identities marched on parliament on Thursday to protest against a police
crackdown on South Korea's sex trade.
Blocked by a cordon of riot police 500 meters from the National Assembly
compound, the sex workers staged a sit-down protest and chanted "Protect our
livelihoods", witnesses said.
Police turned a blind eye to the illegal but flourishing sex trade until last
month when a massive crackdown closed brothels nationwide and put tens of
thousands of prostitutes out of business.
Once-bustling red-light districts in the capital were eerily silent after
brothel owners shuttered their premises, where prostitutes previously sat in
rows behind shop windows to advertise their wares.
'We are willing to pay tax if the government legalises our jobs' Many
protestors carried banners demanding the "right to work" and calling for
legislation legalising prostitution.
"We are willing to pay tax if the government legalises our jobs," the
prostitutes said in a statement.
The one-month special crackdown began on September 23 when a new law targeting
brothel owners, prostitutes and their clients went into force.
Women's groups say an indefinite clampdown is needed to eradicate a culture of
male exploitation. They say hundreds of thousands of women serve as prostitutes
in brothels, barber shops, massage parlours, karaoke bars and bars.
So far, police have hauled in 1 295 violators including 233 sex workers, 322
brothel owners and 523 customers in raids into red-light districts nationwide,
according to the National Police Agency.
The sex industry accounts for more than four percent of South Korea's gross
domestic product, with its annual sales estimated at 24-trillion won last year.
Statistics show one in five South Korean men buy sex four times a month and 4,1
percent of women aged 20 to 30 rely on prostitution to make a living.
The new law stipulates much tougher punishment, with brothel owners facing up
to 10 years in jail or 100-million won in fines, instead of five years'
imprisonment and 15-million won in fines.
Copyright 1999-2004, AsianSexGazette.com. All rights reserved. No
content may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission.
Please contact us via the link below for re-print and syndication policies.
|
|
New
anti-prostitution measure causes stir 10-4-2004
Anti-prostitution
laws draw more protests
10-1-2004
Sex
traders protests police crackdown
9-24-2004
Story
of crackdowns and disappearing prostitution
9-24-2004
Troops
support, wonder about effectiveness of anti-prostitution rules
9-24-2004
S.
Korea in new anti-prostitution drive
9-23-2004
Fighting
prostitution is a battle
9-23-2004
USFK
to combat prostitution near bases
9-22-2004
|
