More child prostitutes take to Surabaya's major streets

JAKARTA (JP): Experts are concerned by the increasing number of child prostitutes to be found on almost all major streets of Surabaya, the country's second largest city.

Growing demand by men over 35 for the sexual services of minors are blamed for the increase.

Antara quoted legal expert Getrudis Angsana as saying the phenomenon developed in tandem with the onset of the economic crisis, unlike in Yogyakarta where the incidence of child prostitution grew whenever payment of school tuition arrived.

"Their number has increased along with the increase in demand for their services, from clients who are mostly men aged 35 or older," Angsana said at a seminar held in conjunction with National Children's Day, which falls on July 23.

"There is now the so-called 'golden triangle' (where child prostitutes operate), which covers Apsari Park, Simpang Dukuh and Embong Malang areas."

Angsana, who studied child prostitution for her thesis, said minors were in demand and could earn more than their adult counterparts.

"Most of the prostitutes are 15 years of age, and their number continues to increase because they attract more clients than adult prostitutes do," she said. "They command prices ranging from Rp 100,000 to Rp 150,000 for one assignation, so they can collect up to Rp 500,000 a day."

Their procurers took "only 20 percent" of their payments, she said. However, they forced the child prostitutes to sleep with them as part of the relationship.

The seminar, held by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and Child Protection Institute (LPA), also featured health experts Sri Adiningsih and Soehartono.

Angsana identified economic, social and psychological factors behind the teenagers' decision to enter prostitution. They included peer pressure, the desire to earn easy money and an escape from uncaring family circumstance.

Soehartono said the prostitutes faced health risks of unwanted pregnancy, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases. Social ostracism was another problem.

Hargandono of the provincial office of the Ministry of Social Services noted policies introduced to curb prostitution, including the granting of scholarships, the establishment of halfway houses for street children and home care.

Recent studies in Greater Jakarta and Greater Surabaya found the institutionalization of child prostitution, with parents, neighbors and even village officials and chiefs involved. Girls were raised and treated as "capital" for later income for parents. Children as young as 12 were sold by their parents to the highest bidder.

The study was commissioned by the Jakarta office of the International Labor Organization, whose International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor has included child prostitution in its fight against the worst exploitation of working minors.

Director of ILO Jakarta Iftikhar Ahmed opened a workshop on child labor in Bogor by noting that six million children between the ages of seven to 15 dropped out of school during the crisis. Many of them have been forced to work to supplement their families' income.

"This will cause a massive impact on the quality of Indonesia's human resources, (which will in turn) adversely affect the country's future."

He appealed for greater attention to children who were exploited and forced to work in hazardous jobs.

Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris said in his address that the problem of child labor was complicated and needed an integrated, comprehensive approach.

"This is a problem that is associated closely with the social economic background of our country, our cultural and educational background," he said.

The workshop will last three days. (swe)