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ommercial sex workers in Surakarta, Central Java, have demanded a designated red-light district to ensure better organized outreach services, especially on health.

They said a designated red-light district was also necessary to ensure that their existence as part of the community was recognized by civilians and authorities.

“We’re just asking for protection and recognition as members of the community,” Sriyatun, 40, a representative of the sex workers, said when given the opportunity to talk at a workshop over the weekend.

Held to commemorate Human Rights Day, the workshop was part of the local administration’s attempt to address the needs of poor and marginalized community members.

Feedback for the 2012 development plan was expected from the workshop, which was attended by Surakarta Deputy Mayor F.X. Hadi Rudyatmo.

Sriyatun said she represented 11 different communities of economically disadvantaged and marginalized people comprising pedicab drivers, street hawkers, parking attendants, street vendors, commercial sex workers, domestic workers, diffables (people with different abilities), beggars, street musicians and trash pickers.

As many as 550 representatives of the 11 communities attended the workshop.

Sriyatun, who is a part-time masseuse, said a red-light district was urgent to ensure supervision of their health.

“Currently, if someone gets sick, she is simply abandoned,” she said.

A red-light district, she added, would also mean that their existence in the community was protected.

She said that at least 50 registered commercial sex workers operated in Surakarta. However, she said, there were many others and their health condition could not be monitored.

In response to the demand, the deputy mayor said, “What if I suggest that the commercial sex workers quit their jobs and change [profession]?” He added that the city administration could provide them with training to start a new life.

City Health Agency head Siti Wahyuningsih denied allegations that the agency neglected commercial sex workers.

She said that since 2006, teams had been deployed to sites where sex workers gathered to provide them with health checks and immunization.

“Although there is no red-light district here, we have actively deployed health teams to these sites,” Siti said.

She added that the biggest challenge her teams faced in doing their job was determining the true identities of the sex workers. “Many claim to be privately employed workers and it is difficult for us to learn their exact data,” she said.

She also said that commercial sex workers grouped under certain organizations were supervised by the health agency on HIV/AIDS and immunization for sexually transmitted diseases.