As Batam booms, so does vice trade<\/p>\n
By Ridwan M. Sijabat<\/p>\n
BATAM, Riau (JP): Prostitution, said to be the oldest
\nprofession in the world, is also the easiest recourse for many
\nwomen from other parts of Indonesia who come to this industry-
\ndesignated island bedazzled by the promise of high salaries.<\/p>\n
The vice industry is flourishing on this island, partly
\nbecause there is a growing demand for it, from residents and from
\nworkers who are migrating to this area, as well as from
\nSingaporeans who make the short trip to the island in search of
\ncheap sex.<\/p>\n
But there is no doubt what has caused the number of
\nprostitutes to rise in Batam -- many women who come to this
\nisland often find the reality totally different from what they
\nhad imagined.<\/p>\n
Jobs are difficult to come by, especially for those who have
\nno particular skills. The cost of living is the highest in
\nIndonesia, so that even for women who have jobs, very often their
\nwages are insufficient.<\/p>\n
Prostitution is one of the social ills that often characterize
\nrapidly growing areas. While the women migrants turn to
\nprostitution, many of their male counterparts turn to crime to
\nsurvive.<\/p>\n
Another major headache for the authorities is providing
\naffordable housing for the island's rapidly growing population.
\nThey appear to be losing the race. Slum areas are developing in
\nmany parts of the island.<\/p>\n
\"On average, 3000 people come to Batam every month,\" Budi
\nSantoso, a spokesman for the Batam Industrial Development
\nAuthority, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Most of these only posses senior high school diplomas and have
\nno skills. \"The majority of them cannot be employed, and what's
\nworse is that they stay on Batam,\" Budi said.<\/p>\n
He said this is posing serious social problems for Batam,
\nincluding prostitution, gambling, crime and the emergence of slum
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Although no survey has been done, Budi said as many as 60
\npercent of Batam's one million residents may be unemployed.<\/p>\n
Double<\/p>\n
He predicted that the population of Batam would double in the
\nnext three years. \"There's no stopping them. They will keep
\ncoming,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He recalled that an attempt to close Jakarta to migrants in
\nthe 1970s failed and said there was no reason to believe that
\nsuch a plan would succeed in Batam.<\/p>\n
The only course open to the authorities is to warn people, or
\nto discourage those with no skill from coming to Batam.<\/p>\n
A tour of the island confirms that prostitution, concealed or
\notherwise, is easily the most rapidly growing service industry in
\nBatam.<\/p>\n
First, there is the Bukit Samiong red light district. But
\nbrothels, disguised as massage parlors, are mushrooming in
\nvarious parts of the city, along with various night entertainment
\nplaces like karaoke clubs, pubs, night clubs and billiard
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, something is being done to contain the negative
\neffects of prostitution, even if the authorities cannot stamp it
\nout completely.<\/p>\n
A non-governmental organization, the Social Communications and
\nConsultancy Forum, has been actively campaigning to prevent the
\nspread of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),
\ninforming prostitutes of the dangers and hazards of their
\nprofession.<\/p>\n
\"It may be impossible to stop prostitution, but efforts should
\nbe made to ease the problem, including the spread of AIDS,\" Sri
\nSoedarsono, who chairs the forum, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"The forum has opened a special polyclinic in the red light
\ndistrict to treat prostitutes,\" said Sri, who is the sister of
\nState Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie. The
\nminister is the chairman of the Batam Industrial Development
\nAuthority.<\/p>\n
To date, 14 Batam residents have tested positive for Human
\nImmuno-deficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, according to
\nthe forum's statistics.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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