Women… for sale!
AT 3:00 A.M. By James B. Reuter, S.J.
The Philippine Star 05/14/2005

Most of the nations of Asia are poor. And, among those nations, almost the poorest is the Philippines. One of the terrible effects of this poverty is that we are selling our beautiful girls, our women, for money.

Only this week a disc jockey, reading from a sophisticated international magazine, announced over the radio, as if it were the Gospel truth: "The finest prostitutes in all the world are the Filipinas. They are the most beautiful, the least expensive, and they are game for anything!"

In Manila there is a flyer, which comes to you by telefax, presenting "Hundreds of Amateur Webcam girls! ! !" They not only portray pornography on the internet, they advertise it:

"Choose an amateur webcam girl from hundreds of live show hosts for steamy, private adult sex shows. These amateur webcams and video chat rooms are totally uncensored to provide you with pure raw enjoyment and satisfaction. Advanced adult cam technology will amaze you as our horny amateur webcam girls, boys and in-between will do just about anything to please you!"

There follows actual pictures of "Girl, Alone", "Girl on Girl (Lesbian)", "Girl and Guy". The final exhortation is: "So choose one and get off now!"

Pornography is bad enough. But it is now being advertised, brazenly, by multi-media! And it has been made available to everyone, even to our children.

Sex trafficking has become an industry. Girls as young as 12, 13 and 14 are picked up from poor families in the provinces, with the promise that they will be hired as maids in wealthy homes. They are brought to the big city, raped, and then forced into prostitution.

The Filipina girl, because of her natural modesty, is ashamed even to speak of what is happening to her. When money is given to her, she sends whatever she can spare to her parents in the province, explaining that it is her salary as a maid.

Prostitution, like the poor, has always been with us, but now it has become an epidemic in Asia. Objective, credible, trained researchers present the facts:

30 million women and children in Asia have been trafficked for sexual exploitation in its varied forms: for brothel, bar and street prostitution; for military rest and recreation; for sex tourism; for the bride trade; and for pornography.

This sale of human beings is facilitated by organized crime syndicates, and by corrupt government officials.

The sex industry is integrated into the mainstream economic sectors, such as "adult entertainment."

Trafficking earns billions of dollars, at the expense of wounded women and children.

The United Nations estimates that trafficking in persons earns 5 to 7 billion dollars, each year.

New information technologies facilitate the global marketing of women and children, without threat of arrest or prosecution.

Trafficked women are considered migration criminals, instead of trafficking victims.

Due to unemployment in the Philippines, many are lured to accept jobs which do not exist. All 73 Philippine embassies and consulates record trafficking for prostitution, illegal labor, and the bride trade.

One Melbourne sex trafficker brought 40 women to Victoria as "contract workers". He deprived them of their passports and earnings until their contracts were worked off. The women had to have sex with 500 men before receiving any money.

In the Philippines, an estimated 300,000 women and around 50,000 children are in prostitution.

In Japan, over 150,000 non-Japanese women are in prostitution, mostly Thai and Filipina.

But, to the great credit of Japan, they are trying to check the influx of prostitutes. A Japanese commission came to the Philippines. Their whole purpose was to stop the migration of Filipina prostitutes into Japan.

The legalization of the industry of prostitution in Australia increased the trafficking of women from the Philippines.

The trafficking system is geared to make money for the organizers. A Filipina girl, 14 years old, educational attainment, Grade 4, a virgin when she was taken from her home in the province, is now trapped as a sexy dancer in an expensive night club. The customer who takes her out pays P6000…. P2000 goes to the bar owner. P2,500 goes to her manager. She receives P1,500. The money supports her father, her mother, and her seven sisters and brothers. She will earn less and less, as she grows older.

On the positive side, the Prime Minister of Korea has proclaimed his determination to fight trafficking of women. In September of 2004 Korea started to seize the entire earnings of business owners who are found to have arranged these illegal transactions.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia –SUHAKAM – is doing its best to curb the trafficking of women and children…. The United Nations has a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children…. USAID is funding a number of NGOs in a campaign to "Stop Human Trafficking."

The Philippines enacted an anti-trafficking law in the Year 2003 that severely penalizes perpetrators, including buyers, while protecting the victims. And the rank and file of Filipinos have risen in arms against the selling of our girls. Among the many NGOs are:

* COALITION AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN

Phone: 4289673; Fax: 4342149

E-Mail: jean.enriquez@catw-ap.org

* CONSORTIUM AGAINST TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN

Phone: 2563463; Fax: 2547459

E-Mail: jpic@pacific-net.ph

* NATIONAL OFFICE OF MASS MEDIA

Phone: 5644518; Fax: 5637316

E-Mail: nomm@surfshop.net.ph

* END CHILD PROSTITUTION, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND THE TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN FOR SEXUAL PURPOSES

Phone: 9252803 or 04; Fax: 4331150

* VISAYAN FORUM

Phone: 5627120 or 5627810 Fax: 5634514

E-mail: visforum@skynet.net

* PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY, INC.

Phone: 7245561 or 4150635
* * *
The Filipina girl, through the long years, has been a model of modesty. Our women have always been treated with reverence, because they deserve it. Selling them, for money, is treason to our people, and treason to our country
Posted at 08:07 PM by steffiandjv | Add a Comment

It seems like i havent written here in a lo0o0ong time!! Anyway, Steff I'd like you to know some things:
* I want to go there,really [I know sometimes you think I don't], but it's super hard for papa and mama and when they told us that, they were serious. As serious as YOUR parents when they decided that you leave the country again.
*I know it's super hard living there, isolated from your friends but just enjoy it! I think it's an experience that will help you a lot in the future, that business thing!!! I want to go there so we'll have fun but I realized that life is NOT all about OUR fun always..
*I miss you sooo bad!!!!!!!!!!
*Send me/US offline messages every now and then! ill reply promise! You dont have to be sad.. Just keep in touch!;P


Love ya Steff!!
Posted at 06:12 PM by steffiandjv | Add a Comment

i am so happy!

although i am here is the US of A, i am so happy that people remember my birthday! i feel so special, i feel so loved...
i love all my friends and i wish i was with them but i know they understand why im not with them. the opportunities here are endless!! i love pinas so much and i WILL come back! ill come back to all my friends, and when im back we'll all go out and perteh!! hehehehehe...

jv: i love u so much and i know u will do wonders even though ur not with me. u are blessed with creativity and u are a good leader. u may not know what to do sometimes but ill know u will get through whatever obstacle thats in ur way. i miss u and i mean it!u have always been there for me and i thank u will all my heart. i will give my life for u.... i hope to see u soon.

keetin: i love u and im sorry. i may have judged u but i hope its all behind u now. thank u for all the fun memories. u are so talented and i wish u use those talents the right way. always take care of urself. thank you

Marga: we fight a lot. i mean a lot. we shout at each other. we cuss each other. and yet, we love each other.... i always wonder why we are friends too... we went through so much and i think our friendship works because we tell each other what we dont like about each other. i tell u what i dont like about u and u tell me what u dont like about me, and we both try to change for the better. i love u bitch! magingat ka ok!

Trizza: i know that in whatever u do, u will do great! i love ur personality. ur never in a bad mood and u always listen. people support u because they can see what i can see in you. they can see that u are such a good person. u always want people to feel better and u dont expect them to do the same to u and when they do, u appreciate it so much. thank u for appreciating me triz!

Bea: yes yes, i know that ur in a different school but i feel that even though we only see each other sometimes, i feel like i talk to u everyday. i guess thats what real friendship is all about. i love u bea and dont ever change. i mean it.

Coco: i only met you last year but whenever im with u, i can say anything without thinking how u would react. maybe were just really alike or ur just easy to talk to. ur openess about things is what i really love about you. ur spunk to. hehehe
i love u coco, and thank u for being one of my closest friends

Jam: u may have problems but u should always remember that i am here for u. i am ur support system. i love u jam

Sarah: u ahve been such a good friend. u are so responsible and i love that about u. thank u for all the laughs...

Celina: Happy hapy happy birthday!! i know ur birthday is tom pa (wait its ur birthday there sa pinas.) anyway, thanks for being a real friend. thanks u for not talking about me behind my nack. thank u fro being so nice to me. i love u

Patty: although u cant read this, thanks. thank u for believing in me... i know ull do well next year

Lean: thank u for everything. i love u so much!! and u ARE pretty inside and OUT! have fun in summer lee! i miss u

Alin: thank u for being a friend. and thank god inamin mo na.. hehehehehe.... always be true to urself and try to have fun all the time, kahit na stress ful. i love u hoe!

Ches: u are so funny, always remember that i miss u and ur hirits.. hehehe!!! have fun being a junior...

Aina: cant believe we didnt even see each other and we were so close!!! anyway thanks for everything talaga!!! u are an inspiration.

Gretch: dont get so stressed out! and whenever u need me, im just a IM away! luv yah!

Glec: i miss u miss perfect 10. hehehe... one shot wonder!!!! good luck next year

To all my friends: my love for u all are genuine.. i dont know how ill go on without u guys. talk to me palagi so i would feel that im still there! i miss u guys so much!! u dont even understand!!

Posted at 08:03 PM by steffiandjv | 6 comments