Saturday, July 4, 2009

IS IT CALLED BEING EMPLOYED?

Before my trip to Bangkok I was told that prostitution is legalized in Bangkok. And I took this information with a matter of fact attitude. Fine so what,

But I was unprepared for what I saw in Pattaya.
Women of all age on the roads from 8 in the morning ( I ventured out of my hotel at that time, so don’t know whether they were there before that also) till 1 in the early morning ( I used to return back to my hotel at that time so don’t know what till what time they were on the road) just waiting for their customers and earn Bhats ( the currency of Thailand)

Call it human behavior or my curiosty or anxiety but I felt compelled to go again and again and see the small girls in shortest possible clothes dancing on the roads, outside beer bars, gesturing to all passer bys.

I didn't go beacuse i was enjoying it or deriving any sadisitc pleausre in watching the members of my sex flaunting their assets on the road and or to see the members of opposite sex satisty their carnal desires. But beacuse of my anguish ,my anger and helplessness. The whole thing was so revolting and repelling but strangely I felt pulled by the whole scenerio.

And every time I saw some oldie manhandling young girls I felt humilated and battered actually I am at a loss to put into words my feelings.

But it was so disgusting to watch all that. Even after 2 months of my visit I get shivers at the mere thought of what I saw there

It pained me so much to see small girls may be of 12-13 years indulging in sex activities with grown up man of more than 50 years of age.

I don’t know whether the girls were really taking pleasure in their profession and enjoying it but yes, they all seemed happy and cheerful.

I don’t know whether they had resigned to the fact that to sell their body is their destiny or they didn’t find anything derogatory or humiliating in this business.

May be they were following this profession without even thinking about the repercussions of it as the same was being followed by their mothers and may be grandmothers too. May be it had become a part of their life?

Worst was watching somewhat elderly ladies or girls waiting patiently for long hours at corners for someone to drop by for them as most of the men/boys wanted young girls.

With so many girls out for this profession, I am sure many a times the girls/women who were involved in respectable professions must have gotton mistaken for the ones who were into body selling business. I wonder how they felt when by mistake they were proposed.

It made me wonder how their parents/ brothers/husbands felt about it. Then I was told that their own brothers/fathers/husbands are their agents.

I tried asking some locals as to why so many girls were involved in this profession. And I was stunned to hear that, “this is their profession, they are the earning members of the family and they bring in good money. They are working women. They are our working force. There is nothing wrong in this. They all are respectable women and our locals dont look down upon them ."

I know to supplement family income women have to contribute and work along with the men of the family. But why at the cost of self respect of the women?, why the profession of prostitution?

I wonder what the girls be saying before leaving their house -- "BYE mummy I m going to work ? Or the father be saying “all the best have a nice day/nite/ (this is what we say to our family members who go out to work)

Is legal Prostitution equivalent to any other profession?
Or can to use one's body sexually to earn money be termed as gainfully employed?

19 comments:

ZB said...

humm, i am clueless about what to write here. its sad and horrifying no doubt. Thai economy is largely dependent on tourism and tourists are lured by the promise of cheap and young girls.
On one hand its heinous but on the other hand if they ban it, so many families would be made to suffer. thanks for sharing your experience.

NR said...

Its bad and according to me its just exploitation of woman... but u see in that country its a part of the economy!!! As a matter of fact that place is famous for that and many go thr just for those things...its pathetic!!!

Zeba said...

I have nothing to say to this. No response at all. But i feel this to most of your blog posts now a days!!

AnjuGandhi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Panorama said...

It is poverty that is the real culprit here. However I feel , the law should protect girls below 18 years who are forced into prostitution.
Unfortunately, no laws are social awareness will eradicate the oldest profession in the world. It is very sad but it will always be there.

Miranda said...

My daughter was in Thailand for almost 7 weeks in March. She said that she saw alot of it, it was sad. Those girls don't know any different.....it bothered her alot too.

Anonymous said...

Well, I had read it in some Sidney Sheldon book. I think it was Rage of Angels, but I guess it was in Singapore. During my trip in Singapore, I didn't see anything of that sought, as if my parents would be willing to show me all that!
I saw this in Travel and Living also. Well, it is humiliating to women kind as a whole. How can fathers live on income that his own daughter earns by selling her body! Shameful! Its a crime to call it a profession. The worst part is that women there are not raising her voice against such a crime.

Gayathri said...

well.. i feel,our outrage on this sex tourism is largely because of the culture in which we were brought up..these days youngsters of our country don't even care about their virginity or having a sole sex partner..so can't that be compared to prostitution? in thai at least they are on this body selling to earn their daily bread..how abt here,and in the western countries??
so the relevance of respcting one's body is lost..moreover,this is just like the difference between vegetarianism and non veg..veg ppl feel it's sinful to eat meat,eat a dead body.. non veg ppl feel it;s yet another kind of food..applying the same logic,thai ppl feel it;s yet another kind of occupation they can rely on..

Aparna said...

What can I say Anju. I am pained.
I have not been to Thailand but have heard from people who have been there that prostitution is rampant and every foreigner is almost always accompanied by a thai woman. It is sad that the women are thrust into this profession by their own family.
They might look cheerful but I am certain they are not happy doing this. I wonder if there is a way out of this profession for them.

Durga Nandan said...

omg! its legal? well, soon we will see it legalized here as well i guess. :(
and women dont 'suppliment' to the family income, most 'contribute'.
it is painful to see that women dont respect themselves.
it , to an extent, frightened me. :)
god, gals, how many other professions, less paying but more sensible, are there?
and 12 yr old kids?? :-o are they even at an age to know what the whole thing is about?? :(
sad.
DN

Parita said...

Its horrifying!! so sad that women indulge in prostitution for their own families, I am sure they wouldnt be doing this happily!

Anonymous said...

I guess if you are brought saying that its a job, you concieve it as a job. Sad but true. Hope they find a way out. Tourism be damned.

Meira said...

It's sad,actually. But a lot of women are forced into it for money and by their family/ pimps! Once they get in, I guess the humiliation is too much for them to seriously try and get out of that hell.

Swatantra said...

Very sad!! I hope one day there is a stop to it and women can find better ways for the earnings!!

Neha said...

it is so sad to see females being exploited and forced into this profession against their will...and one is encouraging it by making the whole thing legal...really pathetic!!!

Neha said...

it is so sad to see females being exploited and forced into this profession against their will...and one is encouraging it by making the whole thing legal...really pathetic!!!

Anonymous said...

My heart is heavy for all the suffering this causes. I guess we will be thankful that you do not have to live this way. But is hard to know it is going on around you. Blessings
QMM

sm said...

no one can change it it will stay forever only as a society we have to see that they get good life,good medicines,good pay, education for there kids.

Doodleduck said...

it must be utter lack of being better at anything else, that forces the girls to end up like that.......when in a society the difference between a human being and cattle dissipates, it is understood that ultimate downfall is in.

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