Stop sex trade in rehab program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors urged the administration
\nyesterday to forbid Kramat Tunggak sex workers from receiving
\nclients while taking short courses provided by the city to
\nprepare them for new professions after the forced closure of
\ntheir brothels.<\/p>\n
Councilors Soeparmo and Achmad Suaidy said the women would
\nhave to focus their attention on the three-month courses, which
\nwould begin in October, so they could learn new skills before
\nentering the workforce in new professions.<\/p>\n
Soeparmo, chairman of Commission E for social welfare, worried
\nthat if the prostitutes were still allowed to receive clients,
\nthe public, which had demanded the closure of the brothels, would
\nlose patience with the administration.<\/p>\n
\"What would the local community say if the prostitutes, who
\nhad just listened to a religious lecture in the morning,
\nentertained guests in the evening?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
Suaidy, chairman of the United Development Party faction,
\nadded: \"If they can still practice their trade while attending
\nclasses, they won't be able to fully concentrate on their
\nstudies.\"<\/p>\n
As many as 1,600 sex workers at the 27-year-old red-light
\ndistrict will be required to take several three-month courses on
\nvarious skills, such as cooking, sewing, hair cutting and how to
\nbecome shop attendants.<\/p>\n
The courses are part of a rehabilitation program that will be
\nheld through December next year. The women will be divided in
\nfive groups of 320 members each.<\/p>\n
The administration plans to close down the area's brothels by
\nthe end of 1999, following protests by local residents who are
\nstrongly against their existence.<\/p>\n
The 10.5-hectare area will be developed into a business
\ndistrict by a joint-venture between the city and private
\ndeveloper PT Nuansa Jasa Realtindo. The developers plan to build
\nshopping complexes, hotels, shop houses and other supporting
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
Following the closure of the brothels, the sex workers will be
\nremoved to a new rehabilitation center to be established on a
\n2.5-hectare plot of land in Sarang Bango village, Marunda, in
\nNorth Jakarta. (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/stop-sex-trade-in-rehab-program-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}