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After closure, brothels brace for Dolly exodus
Take it or leave it: A local official interviews Dolly commercial sex workers (masked) and verifies their personal data as a prerequisite to collect just over Rp 5 million (US$423) compensation each at the Surabaya military headquarters, East Java, Thursday
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Take it or leave it: A local official interviews Dolly commercial sex workers (masked) and verifies their personal data as a prerequisite to collect just over Rp 5 million (US$423) compensation each at the Surabaya military headquarters, East Java, Thursday. The women and their pimps were given five days to collect the cash or it would be returned to the state. (JP/Indra Harsaputra) (masked) and verifies their personal data as a prerequisite to collect just over Rp 5 million (US$423) compensation each at the Surabaya military headquarters, East Java, Thursday. The women and their pimps were given five days to collect the cash or it would be returned to the state. (JP/Indra Harsaputra)
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span class="caption" style="width: 596px;">Take it or leave it: A local official interviews Dolly commercial sex workers (masked) and verifies their personal data as a prerequisite to collect just over Rp 5 million (US$423) compensation each at the Surabaya military headquarters, East Java, Thursday. The women and their pimps were given five days to collect the cash or it would be returned to the state. (JP/Indra Harsaputra)
Prostitution complexes are preparing for a possible influx of sex workers after Surabaya's infamous Dolly red-light district was officially closed on Wednesday.
The Surabaya administration has warned its Batam counterpart that sex workers formerly operating at Dolly may be headed their way, Batam municipal council Commission IV chairman Riki Solihin on Thursday said.
'We have been told to anticipate the arrival of Dolly's former sex workers to Batam. The administration should have already responded to this by monitoring the red-light districts here,' said Riki.
According to Riki, Batam is the main-alternative destination for Dolly's former sex workers because there are numerous clandestine and formal brothels.
'In an effort to control prostitution, sex workers are provided counseling. But, if there are too many it will burden the municipality,' said Riki.
Batam municipal chief spokesman Ardiwinata said the Social Services Agency and the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) would launch operations focusing on a number of other night spots in Batam.
'The Social Services Agency will conduct raids to anticipate the arrival of sex workers from Surabaya to Batam by monitoring the Sintai area and warning bar operators,' said Ardi.
Meanwhile, in Semarang, Central Java, occupants of Argorejo red-light district, also known as Sunan Kuning brothel, are anxious that Dolly's closure will have an impact on Argorejo, the biggest red-light district in Central Java.
Argorejo community leader Suwandi said sex workers and brothel owners were against Dolly's former sex workers seeking work in the area as the community was concerned about the spread of HIV/AIDS. The area has various programs to prevent the spread of the disease.
Earlier, the Jambi and Gorontalo administrations expressed similar concerns over the possible migration of the former sex workers to their areas.
Separately on Wednesday, prostitutes and pimps operating at the brothels in Dolly and nearby Jarak, in Surabaya, began to collect compensation at the Sawahan Military Command before returning to their respective villages.
'I will open a stall in my village and live there peacefully,' said Erna, 34, a Dolly sex worker from Jember.
Hundreds of other sex workers operating at the Barbara brothel, which used to house more than 300 sex workers, in Dolly also began to collect their government compensation.
However, only those included in the Surabaya Social Services Agency's recipient list were eligible for the compensation.
The government, through the Social Services Ministry, allocated Rp 8 billion (US$676,859) for 1,187 verified sex workers. They will each get severance of just over Rp 5 million as startup capital, while pimps receive Rp 5 million.
Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, or Risma, said she would take action against brothel owners, pimps and sex workers in Dolly and Jarak who continued after the area's closure.
Risma said the municipality planned to buy all the brothels in Dolly and convert them into a shopping center.
Ainur Rohmah contributed to the story
