Sex workers dwindle in Bandung

BANDUNG: In contrast to other provinces, the number of sex workers across 25 West Java towns and cities has decreased this year following regular raids, a local senior official claimed on Tuesday.

Last year, at least 6,276 sex workers were operating in some 300 West Java brothels, but only 5,527 were recorded in 2004, said provincial social affairs head Mochamad Masduki.

"We have continued to educate sex workers and have provided them vocational skills training after they were rounded up by security authorities," he said in explanation. -- JP