Prostitution in Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Prostitution
in Indonesia
is legally considered a "crime against decency/morality", nevertheless it is widely practiced, tolerated and regulated. Some women are financially motivated to become prostitutes, while others may be forced by friends, relatives, or strangers. Traditionally, they have met with customers in entertainment venues or special prostitution complexes, or Relokalisasi. There are 4 (four) types of prostitution in Indonesia: (a) Prostitutes who come from particular areas, (b) prostitution in their workpalce. (c) prostitution and life style, and (d) prostitution and the ritual beliefs (Koentjoro, 2011).
However, recently internet forums and Facebook
have been used to facilitate prostitute-client relations. Approximately 30 percent of prostitutes in Indonesia are children, and child sex tourism
has become an issue at the resort islands of Batam
and Bali
.
reported that high-end prostitutes in Jakarta
could earn Rp 15 million - Rp 30 million (USD 1,755 to 3,510) monthly, able to charge more than Rp 3 million (USD 350) per session for their services. Those entering prostitution for money come from both middle-class and poor families.
Another major cause is coercion (see "Forced prostitution
" for general discussion). Young women are offered employment opportunities in major cities, then raped and forced to prostitute themselves while paying money to their pimps. They may also be sold by their parents. The International Labour Organization
(ILO) reports that roughly 70 percent of Indonesian child prostitutes are brought into the trade by their family or friends.
Base on Koentjoro Study (1998) the main cause why a woman become prostitute because of the role material aspiration and instigators.
s, some containing over 200. Prostitutes can be found in discotheques, massage parlours, and karaoke rooms.
They can also be booked via telephone.
Online prostitution is also common. In internet forum
s, prostitutes and pornography
are offered to registered members of good standing, as measured by their activity on the forum. A senior member of the forum posts a "free report" offering a description of the member's experience with a prostitute; contact information is provided upon request by private message. Prostitution rings on Facebook
have also been reported.
complexes, or lokalisasi, which are found throughout the country. These brothels are managed under local government regulations. During or after raids by the police, the prostitutes are able to pay and be released from custody; this has led to police raids being called "nothing more than an income source for public order officers".
UNICEF estimates that 30 percent of the female prostitutes in Indonesia are below 18 years of age. The ILO puts the total number of child prostitutes in Jakarta
at 5,000; according to the Jakarta city government, this is concentrated in Prumpung (North Jakarta
), Grogol (West Jakarta
) Tanah Abang (Central Jakarta
), Block M (South Jakarta
), as well as Jatinegara and Ciracas (both East Jakarta
). Child sex tourism
is a problem, especially on the resort islands of Bali
and Batam
.
and "quasi-contractual" sexual relations are thought to have occurred. Following the spread of Islam in Indonesia, prostitution is thought to have increased due to Islam's disapproval of contractual weddings. Javanese kings kept large stables of concubines, while Balinese widows without familial support could be prostituted by their king.
Koentjoro study's find that prostitution in Indonesia developed because of colonization (see Ingleson, 1986 in Koentjoro, 1998) and the role of Mataram Kingdom (See Wanita dan Kekuasaan, Mudjanto, 1987?)
During the early Dutch colonial period, European men wishing to find sexual gratification began hiring native prostitutes or concubines; this was accepted by financially-motivated local women as well as some families, who volunteered their daughters. Because interracial marriage
was discouraged or outright forbidden, this arrangement was accepted by Dutch leaders.
Widespread prostitution began in the early 1800s, when the number of concubines kept by the Royal Netherlands East Indies soldiers
and government officials
declined; native men leaving their wives to look for work in other areas also contributed to its rise. In 1852 the colonial government began requiring regular health checks of prostitutes to check for syphilis
and other venereal diseases; prostitutes also had to carry identification cards. These did not curb the growth of prostitution, which increased dramatically during a period of extensive construction in the late 1800s.
The 1852 law was later replaced by another, more stringent, public morality
law in 1913, which criminalized "purposely bring[ing] about the fornication of others with a third party and make this his profession", or pimping; no mention was made of prostitutes. Enforcement of these laws proved more nearly impossible, and for a period of time investigation of brothels required a permit from the governor.
During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
, existing prostitutes were selected to serve the Japanese army in special brothels. Other women and girls, both native and Dutch, were pressed to become "comfort women
". After World War II, the migration of women from remote villages to cities, coupled with a high divorce rate, caused another increase in prostitution.
.
and Bali
. A lack of health control in brothels and a lack of condom use have been blamed; in 2010 the Bali AIDS commission reported that only 40% of clients wore protection.
Prostitutes themselves may fall victim to psycho-socio problems, such as multiple personality disorder. When servicing customers or dealing with their pimps, they may be physically and mentally abused. They are also at risk of catching HIV/AIDS.
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
is legally considered a "crime against decency/morality", nevertheless it is widely practiced, tolerated and regulated. Some women are financially motivated to become prostitutes, while others may be forced by friends, relatives, or strangers. Traditionally, they have met with customers in entertainment venues or special prostitution complexes, or Relokalisasi. There are 4 (four) types of prostitution in Indonesia: (a) Prostitutes who come from particular areas, (b) prostitution in their workpalce. (c) prostitution and life style, and (d) prostitution and the ritual beliefs (Koentjoro, 2011).
However, recently internet forums and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
have been used to facilitate prostitute-client relations. Approximately 30 percent of prostitutes in Indonesia are children, and child sex tourism
Child sex tourism
Child sex tourism is tourism for the purpose of engaging in the prostitution of children, that is commercially-facilitated child sexual abuse...
has become an issue at the resort islands of Batam
Batam
Batam is an island and city in Riau Islands Province of Indonesia, known for its free trade zone area as part of the Sijori Growth Triangle, is located off Singapore's south coast...
and Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
.
Causes
In Indonesia, one of the main reasons for a prostitute to enter the business is the attractiveness of earning money quickly. The Jakarta PostThe Jakarta Post
The Jakarta Post is a daily English language newspaper in Indonesia. The paper is owned by PT Bina Media Tenggara, and the head office is in the nation's capital, Jakarta....
reported that high-end prostitutes in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
could earn Rp 15 million - Rp 30 million (USD 1,755 to 3,510) monthly, able to charge more than Rp 3 million (USD 350) per session for their services. Those entering prostitution for money come from both middle-class and poor families.
Another major cause is coercion (see "Forced prostitution
Forced prostitution
Forced prostitution, also known as involuntary prostitution, is the act of performing sexual activity in exchange for money on a non-voluntary basis. There are a wide range of entry routes into prostitution, ranging from "voluntary and deliberate" entry, "semi-voluntary" based on pressure of...
" for general discussion). Young women are offered employment opportunities in major cities, then raped and forced to prostitute themselves while paying money to their pimps. They may also be sold by their parents. The International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
(ILO) reports that roughly 70 percent of Indonesian child prostitutes are brought into the trade by their family or friends.
Base on Koentjoro Study (1998) the main cause why a woman become prostitute because of the role material aspiration and instigators.
Forms
Prostitutes can be found working in brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s, some containing over 200. Prostitutes can be found in discotheques, massage parlours, and karaoke rooms.
They can also be booked via telephone.
Online prostitution is also common. In internet forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s, prostitutes and pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
are offered to registered members of good standing, as measured by their activity on the forum. A senior member of the forum posts a "free report" offering a description of the member's experience with a prostitute; contact information is provided upon request by private message. Prostitution rings on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
have also been reported.
Legal status
Prostitution is interpreted as a "crime against decency/morality" and against the law. In practice prostitution is widespread, tolerated and regulated. Prostitution is most visibly manifested in Indonesia’s brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
complexes, or lokalisasi, which are found throughout the country. These brothels are managed under local government regulations. During or after raids by the police, the prostitutes are able to pay and be released from custody; this has led to police raids being called "nothing more than an income source for public order officers".
UNICEF estimates that 30 percent of the female prostitutes in Indonesia are below 18 years of age. The ILO puts the total number of child prostitutes in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
at 5,000; according to the Jakarta city government, this is concentrated in Prumpung (North Jakarta
North Jakarta
North Jakarta is one of the five cities of Jakarta, Indonesia. North Jakarta contains the entire coastal area within Jakarta Special District. In North Jakarta, an area at the estuary of Ciliwung river was the main port for the kingdom of Tarumanegara, which will later grows to become Jakarta....
), Grogol (West Jakarta
West Jakarta
West Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a p[opulation of 2,278,825 at the 2010 Census; the administrative centre is at Puri Kembangan....
) Tanah Abang (Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta is one of the five cities which form Jakarta, Indonesia. It had 898,883 inhabitants at the 2010 Census.Central Jakarta is the smallest in area and population of the five cities of Jakarta. It is the administrative and political center of Jakarta and Indonesia...
), Block M (South Jakarta
South Jakarta
South Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,057,080 at the 2010 Census, and is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta...
), as well as Jatinegara and Ciracas (both East Jakarta
East Jakarta
East Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,687,027 at the 2010, making it the most populous of the five cities within Jakarta....
). Child sex tourism
Child sex tourism
Child sex tourism is tourism for the purpose of engaging in the prostitution of children, that is commercially-facilitated child sexual abuse...
is a problem, especially on the resort islands of Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
and Batam
Batam
Batam is an island and city in Riau Islands Province of Indonesia, known for its free trade zone area as part of the Sijori Growth Triangle, is located off Singapore's south coast...
.
History
Little is known about precolonial Indonesia's prostitution, although the purchase of sex slavesSexual slavery
Sexual slavery is when unwilling people are coerced into slavery for sexual exploitation. The incidence of sexual slavery by country has been studied and tabulated by UNESCO, with the cooperation of various international agencies...
and "quasi-contractual" sexual relations are thought to have occurred. Following the spread of Islam in Indonesia, prostitution is thought to have increased due to Islam's disapproval of contractual weddings. Javanese kings kept large stables of concubines, while Balinese widows without familial support could be prostituted by their king.
Koentjoro study's find that prostitution in Indonesia developed because of colonization (see Ingleson, 1986 in Koentjoro, 1998) and the role of Mataram Kingdom (See Wanita dan Kekuasaan, Mudjanto, 1987?)
During the early Dutch colonial period, European men wishing to find sexual gratification began hiring native prostitutes or concubines; this was accepted by financially-motivated local women as well as some families, who volunteered their daughters. Because interracial marriage
Interracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
was discouraged or outright forbidden, this arrangement was accepted by Dutch leaders.
Widespread prostitution began in the early 1800s, when the number of concubines kept by the Royal Netherlands East Indies soldiers
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Netherlands in its colony of the Netherlands East Indies . The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force...
and government officials
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
declined; native men leaving their wives to look for work in other areas also contributed to its rise. In 1852 the colonial government began requiring regular health checks of prostitutes to check for syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
and other venereal diseases; prostitutes also had to carry identification cards. These did not curb the growth of prostitution, which increased dramatically during a period of extensive construction in the late 1800s.
The 1852 law was later replaced by another, more stringent, public morality
Public morality
Public morality refers to moral and ethical standards enforced in a society, by law or police work or social pressure, and applied to public life, to the content of the media, and to conduct in public places...
law in 1913, which criminalized "purposely bring[ing] about the fornication of others with a third party and make this his profession", or pimping; no mention was made of prostitutes. Enforcement of these laws proved more nearly impossible, and for a period of time investigation of brothels required a permit from the governor.
During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
, existing prostitutes were selected to serve the Japanese army in special brothels. Other women and girls, both native and Dutch, were pressed to become "comfort women
Comfort women
The term "comfort women" was a euphemism used to describe women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.Estimates vary as to how many women were involved, with numbers ranging from as low as 20,000 from some Japanese scholars to as high as 410,000 from some Chinese...
". After World War II, the migration of women from remote villages to cities, coupled with a high divorce rate, caused another increase in prostitution.
Response
Government response to prostitution in Indonesia has been varied. A common response is to attempt banning it and closing brothels. Another proposed response is the taxing of prostitutes' fees; such proposals have met controversy, with the revenues being considered haraamHaraam
Haraam is an Arabic term meaning "forbidden", or "sacred". In Islam it is used to refer to anything that is prohibited by the word of Allah in the Qur'an or the Hadith Qudsi. Haraam is the highest status of prohibition given to anything that would result in sin when a Muslim commits it...
.
Effects
Prostitution has been blamed for the increasing HIV/AIDS rates in various parts of Indonesia, including Central JavaCentral Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
and Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
. A lack of health control in brothels and a lack of condom use have been blamed; in 2010 the Bali AIDS commission reported that only 40% of clients wore protection.
Prostitutes themselves may fall victim to psycho-socio problems, such as multiple personality disorder. When servicing customers or dealing with their pimps, they may be physically and mentally abused. They are also at risk of catching HIV/AIDS.