Prostitutes stay on the streets

SEMARANG, Central Java: The province's social service office is finding it difficult to rehabilitate prostitutes despite the closure of several major red-light districts, an official said on Monday.

"The redelight districts are legally closed, but in reality the prostitutes still continue to solicit surreptitiously in the old locations," said Sarmanto, head of the social rehabilitation office.

In Sunan Kuning and Gambilangu red-light districts in Semarang, 857 prostitutes continue to solicit under the coordination of 259 panderers, Sarmanto was quoted by Antara as saying.

Similar conditions also are found in Banyu Putih and Penundang red-light district in Batang where 284 prostitutes and 124 pimps work, he said.

The number of prostitutes in Silir in Surakarta, he said, was 296 under the coordination of 63 panderers.

"It is difficult to rehabilitate them. We can only do that with those netted during the operation," he said.