Economic hardship forces children into prostitution
Economic hardship forces children into prostitution
ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya
Drops of water trickle down from the shoulder-length hair of
Sekar (not her real name), as she enters one of the fast food
eateries in Central Surabaya on Tuesday afternoon.
While rubbing her wet hair, the 16-year-old girl surveys the
cafe, afraid that someone might recognize her.
She ducks toward a table at a corner, where The Jakarta Post
and a non-governmental organization (NGO) activist advocating
children's rights, have been waiting.
Sekar, one of the thousands of child sex workers in Surabaya,
begins to tell her story. She says she currently solicits for sex
alongside adult prostitutes in an area connected by five major
locations -- Gang Dolly, Moroseneng, Bangunsari, Putat Jaya and
Kremil.
Sekar's introduction to the world of prostitution began when
the fair-skinned girl fell in love with a security guard three
years ago. She was only 13 years old when she first had sex with
her boyfriend.
"I was afraid at the beginning, but I don't know why I
eventually gave in," she said. She began taking drugs at a young
age, moving on from marijuana to crystal methamphetamine (shabu-
shabu). Her life changed dramatically at 15 when her boyfriend
was arrested and sent to prison for drug possession. Sekar, who
was already hooked on opiates, had to find ways to keep up her
addiction.
"I didn't have money and I had dropped out of school. I
finally sold what I had, my body," she said. Most of her earnings
were used to buy drugs, and the remainder to fulfill her everyday
needs.
Both her foster parents who work as casual laborers live in a
small house in Genting, Surabaya, with her younger sister, Maya
(not her real name).
The house, measuring four by six meters, is divided into four
partitions; one living room, a guest room, a bathroom and a
kitchen. It is located on a narrow lane in a densely populated
area of Surabaya. Because of the family's economic hardship,
Sekar gives her parents a monthly stipend of Rp 150,000
(US$16.00).
Studies show that Sekar's situation is common in Indonesia.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates there are
about 21,000 children in Java involved in prostitution, of which
2,329 of them operated in Surabaya. The organization observes
that the poor in East Java are highly susceptible to human
trafficking, especially in women and children.
"Most of the child sex workers say they are from Malang,
Banyuwangi and Madura," ILO coordinator in East Java, Tri Andhi
Suprihartono told the Post.
"Nearly all poor areas in the cities of East Java are known to
supply sex workers to Surabaya," he said.
Research development coordinator of PLAN Indonesia, Djunaedi
Sari Purnawan said many children from poor families in East Java
were often forced to work to support their family "sometimes by
employ as sex workers."
If the children were not taken out of school to work by their
parents they generally ended up dropping out later on, especially
if they were involved in the sex trade, Djunaedi said.
"If that is the case, the child will have no other choice but
to keep working," said Djunaedi.
A way to overcome child prostitution was to make changes in
education and make it more accessible to poor families, he said.
"If children are empowered, they have more choices to improve
their quality of life," he said.