Amid public shock over reports of prostitution taking place in boarding houses, Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has argued that prostitution, although "sinful" and a "rejection of society", is inevitable
mid public shock over reports of prostitution taking place in boarding houses, Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has argued that prostitution, although "sinful" and a "rejection of society", is inevitable.
The issue of prostitutes operating in boarding houses arose after the murder of a sex worker during intercourse with a customer in her rented room in Tebet, South Jakarta. The victim, 25-year-old Deudeuh Avisah Rini, promoted her services through Twitter, and received clients in her boarding room.
"Although prostitution is viewed as taboo, it is inevitable. No matter how you try to eradicate it, it will always exist as long as humans exist," Ahok told reporters in City Hall in Central Jakarta on Monday.
He went on to compare prostitution to human feces.
"Let's take human feces for example. If humans defecated in the streets, it would stink everywhere. But humans defecate in toilets; it still stinks but at least it's done in the right place," Ahok said.
"The same thing goes for prostitution; if it were localized, it would still stink, but at least it would be done in the right place," he said.
He said, however, that the city administration had no plans to legalize prostitution in certain places. Instead, Ahok said, the city would revoke the licenses of boarding houses that tolerate such activities.(++++)
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