Govt urged to help RI sex workers

Govt urged to help RI sex workers

MEDAN, North Sumatra: About 1,500 young Indonesian women are
now trapped in the sex business in Abu Dhabi, capital of the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), a report said.

"The women are in dire need of government help to free them
from commercial sex syndicates in Arab countries," said Maya
Manurung, a spokesperson for a non-governmental organization on
women's issues.

The level of trade in women in a number of cities in
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East had reached serious
levels, said Posman Tobing, chairman of House of Representatives
Commission VII on health and population issues.

Maya said that the government, through its embassy in the UAE,
ought to take the initiative to eradicate all types of immoral
businesses.

Most of the women involved in commercial sex activity had been
deceived with promises of well-paid work in factories or as house
maids. In reality, they became trapped in the sex business.

She said the government should intensify its supervision of
the operations of Indonesian labor recruitment agencies before
they sent workers abroad. --JP