More info on the prostitution issue...

I got a couple emails with more specific questions about the women at the center and the prostitution situation in general here...so I thought I'd address some more specifics about it here. Following are some of the questions asked and I'll try and address those and some other things-
Questions...
One thing I would like to know is when you talk to these women, how did they get into the prostitution business and how anxious are they to get out. Do they not make more money doing that that a reqular job? Are they on drugs? Do they have children? If they do and they are mixed race, what happens to them?
Thoughts...(keep in mind I'm not an expert yet)
There are all types of different situations and different types of involvement in the prostitution industry. There's bar girls who cater to men and can accept propositions but don't have to. There's dancers who do go with the men, some only a couple a week, others nightly, still others multiple men a night. And there's others who work the showbars which are really degrading and dangerous situations - those seem to be the women in the worst cases. Then there's also girls who work freelance and others have pimps. There's differing reasons for being there...some consented, others were tricked...some are from the city, others from far away villages...some have kids, others are really young...some have gambling problems, others just send money home to parents. I feel like there are so many different situations that its hard to just hightlight any one situation alone. You've got the girl who has basically been 'trafficked' from a rural village, who can be put in really bad situations, and she's not even seeing money. Then you've got other girls who enter it knowingly - because there's no other job options for women. Even people who have graduated from university here can't find decent work. A girls basic income in the bar is around 10,000baht per month, which is equivilant to $250. I think a job working in a
department store or something might pay half of that. There's a huge emphasis here for daughters to support their parents. And in villages, where income can't really be generated...going into the city is the only option. Usually village girls come either by being tricked by a family member/family acquaintance or by knowing somebody else who brings them in.
Nearly anyone you talk to will say they want out. But for one reason or another they feel they have to stay. Some situations they would have some sort of a 'debt' to work off before they'd be 'free' to go. Another really common situation is that their husband has left them and they have kids and parents to support. No woman wants to be sexually exploited. You see them and look into their eyes and they look so sad - only when they have a mask on in front of a man do they smile and laugh (and even many you see with men look sad.) Many girls think that some foreign man will fall in love with them and carry them away on a white horse. Its ironic that the white man is found to be desirable, when it's the white man that has so exploited them.
Alcohol abuse is really common. Other drugs are used also, but alcohol is the most common. Its used to help seperate themselves while working. Its also used to help loosen them up, as Thai women are very shy and reserved - to dance in front of a man, and half naked is extremely shameful to them.
The biggest form of 'birth control' used here is abortion. I think its extremely uncommon for a prostitute to have a baby (unless maybe its from her boyfriend/husband.) Abortions are very common. I don't know anything about prostitutes having mixed children. But in general, half Asian/half white is seen as very beautiful now here.
I've been thinking about Thailand and where I fit in all of this. I'm really not sure that this is where God's calling me to stay. But I'm trying to experience what I can while I'm here right now, and I've been asking myself, "What could I do in Thailand that a Thai person couldn't do?" and I've also been considering all of the unique things I have going for me in San Francisco. And there's also definately prostitution issues there in many different facets ...drug/young/gay/transvestite/trafficked. In Thailand though it just seems so enormous of an issue...but again is inter-related with alot of different issues. For example, prostitution is said to generate something like 60% of Thailands budget, even though it's "illegal."
On a lighter side....
I had a great weekend. I spent Friday night and the second half of Saturday with my friend, Bay, who lives here. Very good to hang out with him and see his life and friends here, and get a different view of Bangkok. I also got some very cool tshirts from the market. Then today I met up with a friend of a friend, who lives here and is originally from Austrailia. She goes to this small church here in Bangkok which is Thai/English mix. I really loved being at the church, it was very refreshing. I loved the mix of people and they were very into being the church outside of the church building.
I spent the second half of today hanging out with the Dieselbergs, which are a really fun family to hang out with. I finally got to cook something...(kinda)...I made chocolate chip cookies with Chandler and Kristina. It was fun and they're oh so yummy.
Sorry I haven't been taking any really interesting pictures. I want to feel as little like a tourist as possible. However, I am hoping to get out on a couple of out-of-Bangkok adventures in the next couple weeks...so those should bring some interesting shots...and possibly I can get Bay out on a photo extravaganza day...he's an awesome photographer...we checked out a show he's part of on Friday night, it was really cool, and the proceeds are all going to children in a village ravaged by the tsunami...check out the website - www.seedart.org
peace - out!