Six girls escape forced prostitution<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau<\/p>\n
Six girls narrowly escaped from being forced into working as
\ncommercial sex workers in neighboring country Singapore after
\npaying a deposit to a broker in Batam. They ran away from the
\nSingaporean broker, Acun, at Batu Ampar port in Batam prior to
\ntheir departure.<\/p>\n
They had earlier been promised jobs at hotels or restaurants
\nin Singapore by paying Rp 2 million (US$244) each to a Javanese
\nbroker, Suryanto. The money would be used for administrative
\ncosts he claimed.<\/p>\n
\"Suryanto said that we only needed to have good looks. Skills
\nand experience were not important to get a job in Singapore.
\nSince I wanted the money, I accepted his offer,\" said one of the
\nvictims, Purwaningsih, 24.<\/p>\n
The dream of earning lots of money was shattered when the six
\ngirls -- Purwaningsih, Erni (18), Ratna (20), Fatijah (18),
\nNeneng (21) and Tilem (17) -- were informed by a taxi driver at
\nthe port that they would be forced into working as commercial sex
\nworkers. The information, according to the driver, was based on
\nhis experience of taking girls to the port.<\/p>\n
The girls then escaped from Acun, who is still at large, and
\nare currently being accommodated at a manpower recruitment agency
\nin Bengkong district.<\/p>\n
\"We also lost track of Suryanto who had received the money
\nfrom us and Acun,\" Purwaningsih said.<\/p>\n
The girls declined to report the case to the police.<\/p>\n
But Barelang Police chief Sr. Comr. Suhartono said that women-
\ntrafficking in Batam would be difficult to stop if victims were
\nreluctant to report to the authorities.<\/p>\n
\"We will check their story and investigate if they would have
\nbeen forced into working as commercial sex workers in Singapore,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is the world's third worst country in its commitment
\nto law enforcement on the issue. An estimated 230,000 women and
\nchild sex workers have been trafficked throughout the country.<\/p>\n
The government is currently working on a bill on the issue.<\/p>\n
Last week, several Indonesian girls reported to the Indonesian
\nEmbassy in Kuala Lumpur that they were forcibly employed as
\ncommercial sex workers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/six-girls-escape-forced-prostitution-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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