Child prostitutes lie to survive

Child prostitutes lie to survive

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although no-one can ever be absolutely certain, it is estimated
that there are about 800 children aged 14 to 18 years old who are
employed as sex workers in the red light cafes of Bambu Apus,
East Jakarta.

"The children claim to be from Karawang, Subang and Sukabumi,"
said an activist from a non-governmental organization working to
retrieve child prostitutes from the area.

"Some of them even proudly claim that they are from Indramayu
-- another regency in West Java well-known for supplying
prostitutes -- as a way to lift their status in front of guests,"
said the activist, who asked to be identified only as Hery.

The children actually live with their families very close to
where they work.

Hery said that the children were often victims of people
closest to them. "One of the girls who joined our retrieval
program was visited by her mother who seemed to be fully aware of
what her daughter was doing for a living," he said.

The children work from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., luring men to come
and enjoy music, beverages and their services.

"They are paid a commission of Rp 1,000 for every bottle of
soft drink and Rp 2,000 for every glass of beer that they serve,"
Hery said. "What they make depends on how many guests they
serve."

Tight competition made them willing to say or do anything in
order to attract guests.

According to Burdah, a trainer for a child prostitute
retrieval program, the girls admitted that "it is sort of
included in the procedure to give guests a 'thank you' kiss. That
way, when they come back they will look for us".

Many of the children live in rented rooms behind the cafes or
in nearby areas, where around 10 children shared a 12-square-
meter room.

"They spend their spare time checking their looks in their
compact mirrors," Burdah said.

Aside from cafes, East Jakarta's local celebrations or hajatan
-- marriage receptions, parties or musical performances -- are
events that attract child prostitutes.

"When big hajatan are held there will be people selling drinks
in pushcarts," said Hery. "They each have at least two girls
called jontrot helping them to entertain buyers behind the
pushcarts where a mat is spread."

Both cafe owners and pushcart vendors are very protective of
the children they hire, said Hery.

In the event of raids, the children were often equipped with
false identity cards stating that they were at least 20 years
old, along with phony marriage certificates and even "husbands".

The hardships of life has taught these children how to give
smart answers to whoever asks them about their activities.

One seventeen-year old used to tell everybody that she was a
high school graduate waiting to enter an academy on a
scholarship.

"These children often reflect what in their imagination they
want to be in the replies they give," said Hery. (003)