Workers moonlight as prostitutes<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
As the sun sets, some factory workers rush to their boarding
\nhouses to refresh themselves. They take off their uniforms and
\nreplace them with miniskirts. Heavy makeup is smeared on their
\nfaces.<\/p>\n
Those young women are not going to a party. They work at
\nnightspots in the Lippo Pinangsia office complex in Karawaci.<\/p>\n
Despite mayor M. Thamrin's ban on the presence of nightspots
\nin Tangerang municipality, the office complex has turned into a
\nnight entertainment center with karaoke lounges, massage and
\nsauna parlors, discotheques and sex.<\/p>\n
The women claim they need the income because their salary at
\nthe factory is far from enough.<\/p>\n
Most workers in Tangerang receive the minimum wage of less
\nthan Rp 600,000. This year, they expect to receive a 7 percent
\nincrease, like their colleagues in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Dozens of women, aged between 15 and 25 years, work at
\nnightspots to entertain and accompany the guests. Most of them
\nhave average looks. But their makeup and sexy dresses at least
\nhelp hide their shortcomings under the dim lights.<\/p>\n
The nightspot management call them "guides".<\/p>\n
At the karaoke lounges, the women prepare the songs ordered by
\nthe customers, pouring drinks into their glass, accompanying them
\nand dancing with them. They may also extend the service outside
\nthe building if required.<\/p>\n
Basically, the guides are obliged to make the guests feel
\ngood. They must be able to act as good partners for the guests,
\nand chat with them so that the guests stay longer, spend more
\nmoney and are willing to come back.<\/p>\n
Many of the guides are available for extra services, including
\nsex, outside the nightspots.<\/p>\n
One of them, Chyntia, who works at a garment factory during
\nthe day told The Jakarta Post that a "night date" was an
\neffective way to make money within a short time without having to
\nwork hard.<\/p>\n
"If I am willing to accompany a guest for a night, I can bring
\nhome at least Rp 300,000," she said.<\/p>\n
On a Saturday night, she said she could even earn up to Rp 1
\nmillion since most of her customers were foreigners who worked
\nand lived in Tangerang.<\/p>\n
There are more than 400 foreigners who work in Tangerang, one
\nthird of them are from South Korea. The others are mostly from
\nTaiwan, Japan and China.<\/p>\n
Some of the guides said that sometimes they could attract the
\nforeign "bosses" or even became their mistress.<\/p>\n
One of them is Tuti, who works at a textile factory.<\/p>\n
She said that her meeting with a Korean called "Mr. Kim" at
\nthe karaoke lounge had changed her life. The man provided her
\nwith a small but nice house in Lippo Karawaci housing estate, and
\na monthly allowance which was transferred to her bank account.<\/p>\n
"But, I certainly have to pay for it with my body. I have to
\nbe ready to serve him anytime he wants me," she told the Post.<\/p>\n
She added that despite her frequent remorse, she admitted that
\nher life was more enjoyable now than before she met him.<\/p>\n
"My salary is only Rp 500,000 per month, it is far from enough
\nto fulfill my daily needs ... I could not afford to buy proper
\nfood before," she said.<\/p>\n
But such a relationship might end at any time.<\/p>\n
Like in the case of Ayu, who the Post met at a discotheque in
\nTaman Cibodas subdistrict.<\/p>\n
She said she used to work in a garment factory, but the wage
\nwas low and worse, there was some reduction in the salary. In
\nNovember 2001, when she came to her boss' office to protest, the
\nman gave her a glass of water. After she drank it, she felt dizzy
\nand passed out. She said she had been raped. But she said she
\ncould not do anything and left after the boss gave her Rp 2
\nmillion and told her not to tell anyone about what had happened
\nbetween them.<\/p>\n
After the incident, her boss often asked her to go out
\ntogether but they ended up in a hotel room. Three months later,
\nher boss promoted her to supervisor and they became closer to
\neach other.<\/p>\n
"My life changed but it was not long. My boss dated my fellow
\nworker who was prettier than me. I was angry and when I
\nprotested, he dismissed me," she said.<\/p>\n
She then got a job as a blue collar worker at a food factory.
\nBut at night, she works at a discotheque as a "public relations
\nofficer" whose job is accompanying the guest to drink and get
\nrelaxed. But she is also available for sex.<\/p>\n
She said she did it because her monthly salary at the food
\nfactory was not sufficient.<\/p>\n
"And also because I am no longer clean."<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-moonlight-as-prostitutes-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }