Women sent to work as prostitutes in Singapore from Batam

Women sent to work as prostitutes in Singapore from Batam

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

Eighteen-year-old "Ani" was shocked. The native of Palembang
could no longer return to Singapore where she used to work as a
prostitute.

When the Sekupang police in Batam uncovered a syndicate that
sent young Indonesian women to work in the neighboring city
state's red-light district on Wednesday, this spelled the end of
her ability to make money for her family.

"I'm responsible for supporting my family in Palembang. My
brother needs to study ... I sent all the money I made when
working as a prostitute in Singapore back home to my family," she
told The Jakarta Post.

Apart from Ani, the police also apprehended Rahmayani, 39, who
allegedly acted as a pimp for the women being sent to Singapore.

The police busted the syndicate following a tip-off saying
there were weekly shipments of women being sent to Singapore from
the international ferry harbor of Sekupang, Batam.

Further investigation found that the women assembled at a
beauty parlor in Batu Aji while waiting for their departure to
Singapore.

However, during the raid on Wednesday, the police only managed
to apprehend Ani and Rahmayani while four other young women
escaped.

Rahmayani said that the women actually want to go to Singapore
to work as prostitutes. Every week, she sent between three and
five women to Singapore. Their travel expenses, including the
cost of supplying them with passports, were covered by Rahmayani,
who said she was repaid by the women after they started earning
money in Singapore.

"I don't force them to go to Singapore. They are fully aware
that they will work as prostitutes there," said Rahmayani.

Upon arrival in Singapore, the women would be picked up by
Rahmayani's partner, Achong, 45, at the Harbour Front Centre. He
would then "offer" the women in the Geylang red-light district
for S$35 (US$20) for a short period and S$300 for a longer
period.

Rahmayani said that in the last four months she had sent 50
women to work as prostitutes in Singapore, and received a
commission from Achong of S$200 for each woman she sent.

According to Ani, who solicits on the streets of Geylang, she
works from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.

When she first arrived to work there, she had to go through 55
short-time sessions before she could pay back the money spent on
sending her to Singapore.

Later on, she received S$15 for each short-time session and
S$100 for long sessions.

"We're forced to work even when we're having our period. We're
given medicine to temporarily stop us menstruating," said the
junior high school graduate who serves at least six men every
day.

Rahmayani said the women did not use any other documents apart
from their regular passports when entering Singapore. After 14
days and the expiry of their entry permits, the women would go
back to Batam before returning once again to Singapore.

Sekupang detectives chief, First Insp. Riza Nika Astaga, told
journalists that Rahmayani has violated Law No. 339/2004 on the
recruitment and placement of Indonesian migrant labor. If found
guilty, she faces up to 10 years in jail or a fined of up to Rp 2
billion.

"We're certain there are many people in Batam who are doing
the same thing as Rahmayani because of our closeness to
Singapore. But, we'll find them," Riza said.