Controlling the sex industry
Today’s edition of WEEKender, the weekend supplement of this newspaper, features the first in a series of three articles that places the spotlight on the sex industry here in St. Maarten. From all indications, the industry is very much alive and well, notwithstanding its sores.
While the turn of the century witnessed attempts at regulating the industry on the Dutch side of this sometimes too-friendly island, the story as told in Judy Fitzpatrick’s “The dark side of the commercial sex industry,” leaves no doubt in one’s mind that the regulatory mechanisms are not working as they should.
The story as told by three women – all mothers, ages 28, 30, and 32 – is that they were lured to St. Maarten by the prospects of earning big bucks as semi-nude dancers, but ended up working as prostitutes at an illegal brothel.
While there for six months, from June to December last year, three months beyond the time so-called exotic dancers are legally allowed to work here, they were exploited by the brothel owner who demanded to have unprotected sex with them and who was about to have them repatriated without paying them a total of US $19,000 they had earned after each had repaid the club initial expenses of US $2,000.
On realising that they were about to be sent back to the Dominican Republic without being paid the hard-earned money they were owed, they escaped from the club and eventually received assistance from the Dominican Republic Consulate, the Anti Trafficking In Persons (ATIP) Foundation, Safe Haven and the Prosecutor’s Office.
That such an operation was said to be flourishing illegally right under the noses of the authorities is a serious failing and a matter of grave concern. So too is the fact that so-called exotic dancers were allowed to remain in St. Maarten at such an establishment long in excess of the time legally granted.
We are not about to sit in judgement over the sex industry in St. Maarten. But we say this: if for whatever reason or reasons the elected representatives of the people have determined that they should approve and even legalise the existence of brothels and other adult entertainment establishments, they are duty-bound to ensure that these establishments are properly regulated and are made to operate under a regimen of strict inspection and compliance.
Also, there must be zero tolerance for the abusing of the workers in the industry and the workers must be treated with respect.
Against this backdrop, we are appalled at the manner in which several workers in the industry were treated earlier this week when the authorities raided two adult entertainment establishments, rounded up the women like cattle, handcuffed them and took them to police headquarters, only to release them shortly thereafter because their “papers” were found to be in order. It was unnecessarily humiliating for the women, who have a right to the preservation of their dignity like any other worker operating within and under the law.
We wish to submit that if the regulatory mechanisms are working as they should, the authorities ought to be in a much better position to “control” the operations of these establishments in a much more humane, respectful and efficient manner.
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