Prostitution is big biz in NTT

Prostitution is big biz in NTT

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The security officers should take
stern measures to curb rampant prostitution in border areas of
Indonesia and East Timor in Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara
(NTT), said a councillor.

Maksimus Murrah, councillor at Belu Regency Legislature, said
on Wednesday that the prostitution in the regency was hard to
control although the police had arrested some sex workers and
their handlers recently.

"The prostitution now takes place not only in Sesekoe village
but also in some hotels and residential areas," he said.

Maksimus said that many women were prone to prostitution due
to poverty, yet they did not know much about the sexual-related
diseases that they may contract, he said.

A result of blood test from a laboratory in Denpasar, Bali,
has shown that at least one of the sex workers in the regency had
been infected with the deadly HIV virus.

"It means, there is possibility that the virus will be spread
and the HIV/AIDS epidemic will soon emerge in the regency if
there are no stern measures taken to combat mounting
prostitution," he said. --Antara