by Cheung Choi-wan translated by Irene Tong
Hong Kong's sex industry seldom receives much public attention except when minors are involved, as in the case of under-aged female prostitutes or young boys found engaging prostitutes. In fact, sex businesses here are rather inconspicuous and lack the variety and diversity exhibited by other Southeast Asian countries. The society's attitude towards female participants in the industry is one of general discrimination, while male 'clients' can often escape unscathed.
Apart from prostitution, the sex industry in Hong Kong also includes topless/bottomless bars which cash in on the exposed female body, nightclubs/bars which treat women's bodies as playthings for male customers, and as services for men. At another level, pornography, sex video rentals and cinemas which specialise in sex films are all part of the sex business. Whatever medium is used, they all profit through the exploitation of women.
It can be generalised that women in the industry share similar backgrounds. Though sociological investigations into the local sex businesses are scanty, the few publications available did register a decline in the age of the women involved. Most of them were found to come from 'broken homes,' or from families which failed to create a sense of belonging among the female members. In other words, as in the case with 'problem youths,' most of the women belong to the lower-middle stratum of society, where conditions at home are inconducive to encouraging progress at school, and where family conflicts and instability make them refuse the disciplines of the school and the home, turning instead to extra-familial circles for refuge and identity.
Stories of how teenage girls become prostitutes are often reported in the press. Usually they were lulled and coerced into the business by intimate boyfriends or other friends after being in debt, raped and beaten up. As prostitutes, they often indulge in gambling and drug abuse and can never pick themselves up again.
Most sex businesses in Hong Kong, particularly prostitution, are controlled by triads which use a whole set of methods, invariably threats and violence, to induce and force women into the occupation. Because of this, though it is claimed by many that today's prostitutes enter the business voluntarily, the reality is that they are often compelled to do so.
Even less attention has been paid to non-Chinese women in the sex industry who come from Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, etc. Many of them were recruited overseas by employment agencies which claim to offer them positions as domestic helpers, waitresses and the like in Hong Kong. Once in Hong Kong, these women were forced into prostitution triads which took advantage of their helplessness and unfamiliarity with local laws. Since it is rare to find local individuals or groups showing concern for their plight, their situation is most pathetic.
Under the laws of Hong Kong, it is a criminal offense to have sexual intercourse with girls under 16 years old. Thus, we find more restrictive measures against under-aged prostitutes. Moreover, they tend to receive wider attention from the public on moral grounds. Also under Hong Kong law, prostitution is not illegal. It is only when it can be proved that someone is using another person as prostitute for profit-making that the law is broken. Therefore, we find numerous 'sole proprietor' prostitutes operating under what is commonly known as "one flat, one phoenix" system. They appear to work for themselves only, but beneath the surface, it is not surprising that they are controlled by triads
As these "one flat, one phoenix" prostitutes establish themselves within residential premises, they often attract complaints from the residents. This leads to the suggestion of drawing all sex businesses together under a red light district. Those who favour the idea are obviously people who seek a clear demarcation between 'decent folks' and 'indecent' ones, losing sight, however, of the fact that frequenters of such places are more often than not 'decent' men in daily life. That society carries a double standard in its treatment of prostitutes as opposed to their 'clients' is evident here.
In the attempt to marginalise an institution indispensible in a male-dominated society, the oppression and exploitation that women in the sex industry face are further dismissed.
Presently, the thriving sex industries in Southeast Asia has sent many a Hong Kong man on trail to Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and so on.
The Association For The Advancement of Feminism (AAF) had, in 1986, held an internal discussion on the issue of prostitution. We believe that prostitution is a business which reflects and fortifies the exploitation by men upon women, and as such, should be phased out eventually. However,'as "commoditisation of women" is unlikely to disappear in the short term, it will be inadvisable to penalise the prostitutes as that could only subject them further to triad control. Medical and health services should be made accessible to this particular group, and they should not be prevented from voicing their demands for better 'working' conditions. At the same time, we oppose the idea of setting up a red hght district, since it enhances the commoditisation of the female body. As evidenced by red light districts in Southeast Asia as well as in Europe, the sex services provided there symbolise an increased consumerist pressure on the violation of women's bodies and sexuality.
Source: Women's News Digest, No. Apr. 1989, AAF, Room 1202 Yam Tze Commercial Bldg. 17-23 Thomson Road Wanchai, Hong Kong