Sex workers fearful of their photo display

Sex workers fearful of their photo display

JAKARTA (JP): Sex workers participating in an upcoming
photography exhibition say the event is an opportunity to be part
of the outside world, but fear the coverage will broadcast their
current profession to people they care about.

Two women going by the aliases of Dian and Henny expressed
fear yesterday of press coverage which could lead their families
to learn of how they earn money.

Dian said the exhibition of their works could help outsiders
understand more that "we are not all black inside... we also
like to take part in activities like other people".

Dian and her 14 friends from the only government recognized
red-light area in Kramat Tunggak, North Jakarta, will display
around 90 black and white photos.

The display will take place at Ancol Dreamland's Art Market
from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2.

Volunteers of the Kusuma Buana Foundation, which advocates
HIV/AIDS awareness, said the prostitutes are taught very few
photography techniques apart from encouraging them to take
pictures.

The foundation approached the Kramat Tunggak management, which
is under the city's social affairs agency, to gain approval to
involve the sex workers in activities.

Dian and Henny participated in a musical performance held last
year by Kusuma Buana at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center.

While the they enjoyed the event, there were a few negative
moments, they said. A few of the women objected to taking part in
preparations for the photography display, saying the "ruthless
coverage" of the previous event put them off.

Others bought cameras but had second thoughts about
participating and pulled out. The organizers said it was also
very hard to coax Dian and Henny to attend the press conference.

In the coverage of the performance last year, "The press used
harsh words like WTS (wanita tuna susila, women without morals;
the official term for prostitutes.) As if there are no PTS (pria
tuna susila, men without morals)," Henny said.

"Although our names weren't printed, our pictures were clear.
One of my friends said the coverage by a television station
caused an uproar in her hometown because her family didn't know
about her job here," Henny said.

Reporters were not allowed to take pictures in the press
conference yesterday. Henny told reporters to use the
abbreviation PSK, short for pekerja sex komersial (commercial sex
workers).

"In the kampong they don't understand PSK," Henny said.

She said her boyfriend enjoys taking part in the weekly
photography sessions outside the complex.

The aim of the exhibition, organizer Kindy Marina said, is to
improve self-esteem among the Kramat Tunggak women, particularly
those now grouped in the Mutual Support for Friendship and
Protection.

Since 1994, she said, the recruitment of dozens of HIV/AIDS
volunteers in Kramat Tunggak, officially the city's
rehabilitation center for prostitutes, has revealed the many
problems among them.

These include apathy regarding their abilities, a pessimistic
view of their future, and alcohol dependency.

Dian and Henny revealed the difficulty in coaxing their
colleagues to join activities outside the complex. "They fear
loss of income," said Dian, who once wanted to be a policewoman.

"But I get depressed and have headaches if I stay in (the
complex) every day. I just keep drinking," she told The Jakarta
Post.

"Participating in outside activities makes us understand
things and adds to our experience." For example, Dian said she
has now heard a lot about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and
the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

"I also know prostitutes are not the only source of AIDS,"
Dian said. (anr)