Elections of no consequence for prostitutes<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java<\/p>\n
\"Why would we be confused about which party to vote for? It's no
\nbig deal. It's better to be on my back, because we get money.
\nWhat's the point of voting if there are no changes?\" says Yuni
\n(not her real name), 25, a pretty, plump and fair-skinned woman
\nfrom Cirebon, West Java.<\/p>\n
She is one of 100 sex workers operating on Gg Sadar 1 and 2 in
\nthe Baturaden tourist area, near Purwokerto, Central Java, who
\ncast their votes on April 5 at a polling booth in the area.<\/p>\n
The prostitutes queued up with local residents to vote, and
\nattracted lots of attention, especially from men as they were
\ndressed provocatively, with some showing off their navels.<\/p>\n
There are 200 sex workers, averaging 22 years of age, in the
\nBaturaden complex. Some of them returned to their hometowns to
\nexercise their political right, while others chose to stay put on
\nelection day.<\/p>\n
Some of the prostitutes cared very little about the general
\nelection, saying it was not that important.<\/p>\n
\"If we hadn't been advised to vote by our boss (pimp) and the
\nneighborhood unit chief, we wouldn't have. It's only out of
\nrespect for them that we did. The important thing is that I've
\nvoted,\" said Yuni.<\/p>\n
She told The Jakarta Post that she had voted for the
\nDemocratic Party, which is expected to name former chief security
\nminister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as its presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, I chose the Democratic Party, because Pak Susilo is
\nhandsome and he looks intelligent. Many of my colleagues also
\nvoted for the party.<\/p>\n
\"That's enough questions. Isn't it meant to be confidential?
\nHave you voted yet? Perhaps not?\" she said provocatively.<\/p>\n
Yuni admitted to only perforating the Democratic Party's logo
\nbut not the names of its legislative candidates. \"Why worry? I
\ndon't even know them. If it was Pak Susilo, I'd surely know, as
\nhe often appears on TV,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Another sex worker, Eri (also not her real name), 21, from
\nKebumen, Central Java, said she went to the polling station only
\nto accompany her friends.<\/p>\n
\"Who knows, there may have been someone in the street who
\nwanted to 'play' with me after voting. It could have been
\nfascinating,\" she said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
The dark complexioned woman was very flirtatious, and hugged
\nand pinched reporters on assignment at the polling booth in
\nBaturaden.<\/p>\n
Unlike Yuni and Eri, Susan (not her real name), 24, from
\nPekalongan, Central Java, cared nothing about the elections.<\/p>\n
\"I have a voter card, but what's the use of voting? Will it
\nincrease my price?\" she quipped while eating fried rice near her
\nbrothel.<\/p>\n
\"You are an office worker, so you should vote, and after that
\ncome back here,\" said Susan, who charges Rp 80,000 (US$10) for a
\none-and-a-half hour session.<\/p>\n
She said she had absolutely no expectations of the elections.
\nAccording to her, the country's leaders are all a bunch of liars.<\/p>\n
\"I was once sympathetic toward Mbak Mega(wati) because she is
\nof the same gender. But the fact is that they're all the same.<\/p>\n
\"After becoming the president, she forgot all about us. We
\nwere neglected (as though) in a foreign country, and no one
\nprotects us when we're in trouble. So, they're all liars,\" said
\nSusan, who used to be a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia. She said
\nshe returned home after being sexually abused by her employer.<\/p>\n
Susan reported her case to the Indonesian Embassy in Saudi,
\nbut did not receive a satisfactory response. She claimed that
\nembassy staff had instead sexually harassed her.<\/p>\n
\"I actually like Pak Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. But will he be
\nlike the ones before if elected president? I'll surely vote for
\nhim. He's handsome,\" she said with a sharp glance.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/elections-of-no-consequence-for-prostitutes-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}