Sex Workers Want Designated Red-Light District, Health Supervision

JAKARTA, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Commercial sex workers in Surakarta city, Central Java, have demanded a designated red-light district so that there will be better organised outreach services, especially on health. A designated red-light district, they said, was also necessary to ensure that their existence as part of the community was recognised by civilians and the authorities. "We're just asking for protection and recognition as members of the community," Sriyatun, 40, a representative of the sex workers was qouted as saying by English daily, The Jakarta Post, Monday. She was given an opportunity to speak at a workshop held to commemorate Human Rights Day in the city over the weekend. The workshop was part of an attempt by the local administration to address the needs of poor and marginalised community members. Feedback for the 2012 development plan was expected from the workshop, which was attended by Surakarta Deputy Mayor F.X. Hadi Rudyatmo. Sriyatun, who is a part-time masseuse, said a designated red-light district was urgent to ensure health supervision of the sex workers because currently if someone fell sick, she would be simply abandoned. At least 50 registered commercial sex workers operate in Surakarta. However, there were many others and their health condition could not be monitored, she said. Sriyatun represented 11 different communities of economically disadvantaged and marginalised people including street hawkers, parking attendants, street vendors, commercial sex workers, domestic workers, beggars and street musicians. Some 550 representatives of the 11 communities attended the workshop. In response to the demand, the deputy mayor said: "What if I suggest that the commercial sex workers quit their job and change (profession)?" The city administration was willing to provide them with training to start a new life, he was also quoted as saying. Meanwhile, City Health Agency head Siti Wahyuningsih denied allegations that the agency neglected commercial sex workers, saying that since 2006, health teams had been deployed to sites where sex workers gathered to provide them with health checks and immunisation. She said the biggest challenge her teams faced in doing their job was determining the true identities of the sex workers. Commercial sex workers grouped under certain organisations were supervised by the health agency on HIV/AIDS and immunisation for sexually transmitted diseases, she added. -- BERNAMA