Economic hardship forces children into prostitution<\/p>\n
ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
Drops of water trickle down from the shoulder-length hair of
\nSekar (not her real name), as she enters one of the fast food
\neateries in Central Surabaya on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
While rubbing her wet hair, the 16-year-old girl surveys the
\ncafe, afraid that someone might recognize her.<\/p>\n
She ducks toward a table at a corner, where The Jakarta Post
\nand a non-governmental organization (NGO) activist advocating
\nchildren's rights, have been waiting.<\/p>\n
Sekar, one of the thousands of child sex workers in Surabaya,
\nbegins to tell her story. She says she currently solicits for sex
\nalongside adult prostitutes in an area connected by five major
\nlocations -- Gang Dolly, Moroseneng, Bangunsari, Putat Jaya and
\nKremil.<\/p>\n
Sekar's introduction to the world of prostitution began when
\nthe fair-skinned girl fell in love with a security guard three
\nyears ago. She was only 13 years old when she first had sex with
\nher boyfriend.<\/p>\n
\"I was afraid at the beginning, but I don't know why I
\neventually gave in,\" she said. She began taking drugs at a young
\nage, moving on from marijuana to crystal methamphetamine (shabu-
\nshabu). Her life changed dramatically at 15 when her boyfriend
\nwas arrested and sent to prison for drug possession. Sekar, who
\nwas already hooked on opiates, had to find ways to keep up her
\naddiction.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't have money and I had dropped out of school. I
\nfinally sold what I had, my body,\" she said. Most of her earnings
\nwere used to buy drugs, and the remainder to fulfill her everyday
\nneeds.<\/p>\n
Both her foster parents who work as casual laborers live in a
\nsmall house in Genting, Surabaya, with her younger sister, Maya
\n(not her real name).<\/p>\n
The house, measuring four by six meters, is divided into four
\npartitions; one living room, a guest room, a bathroom and a
\nkitchen. It is located on a narrow lane in a densely populated
\narea of Surabaya. Because of the family's economic hardship,
\nSekar gives her parents a monthly stipend of Rp 150,000
\n(US$16.00).<\/p>\n
Studies show that Sekar's situation is common in Indonesia.
\nThe International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates there are
\nabout 21,000 children in Java involved in prostitution, of which
\n2,329 of them operated in Surabaya. The organization observes
\nthat the poor in East Java are highly susceptible to human
\ntrafficking, especially in women and children.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the child sex workers say they are from Malang,
\nBanyuwangi and Madura,\" ILO coordinator in East Java, Tri Andhi
\nSuprihartono told the Post.<\/p>\n
\"Nearly all poor areas in the cities of East Java are known to
\nsupply sex workers to Surabaya,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Research development coordinator of PLAN Indonesia, Djunaedi
\nSari Purnawan said many children from poor families in East Java
\nwere often forced to work to support their family \"sometimes by
\nemploy as sex workers.\"<\/p>\n
If the children were not taken out of school to work by their
\nparents they generally ended up dropping out later on, especially
\nif they were involved in the sex trade, Djunaedi said.<\/p>\n
\"If that is the case, the child will have no other choice but
\nto keep working,\" said Djunaedi.<\/p>\n
A way to overcome child prostitution was to make changes in
\neducation and make it more accessible to poor families, he said.<\/p>\n
\"If children are empowered, they have more choices to improve
\ntheir quality of life,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/economic-hardship-forces-children-into-prostitution-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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