Shanghaiist Sunday Show: An Hour with Lee Kuan Yew —The Charlie Rose Show
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This is definitely one of the best pods we've seen on China's sex workers so far. Laura Ling of Current TV, goes around China and finds that the sex trade, while virtually non-existent 25 years ago, is now booming everywhere. She also almost got into trouble with some local mafia (which brought back some nasty flashbacks of our own encounters with them a few years ago), but fortunately she got away with it and her tape!
The first question that popped up in our minds after watching this vid was if China's government would someday legalise prostitution. Obviously, the status quo offers the government no way to regulate the industry (and in this case, we do think regulation is very important because at the current rate, things could easily spiral out of control). The decriminalisation of prostitution, will bring with it other benefits, such as aiding in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the protection of women (of course, as always, there are two sides to every coin, so read the below links if you are interested to find out more). We think there is a great chance that the Chinese government, being the pragmatic government that it is, will some day legalise prostitution, as much as it is not in keeping with the Communist spirit. The only question now, of course, is when.
Related link:
Washington Post: Oldest profession flourishes in China
Associated Content: How the Legalization of Prostitution Will Help Women
Mark Liberator: Legalized Prostitution: Regulating the Oldest Profession
Freedom Daily: The Case for Legalized Prostitution
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I think it's horrible that they filmed those two women while asking them those private questions. I understand it's necessary for making this small documentary more interesting, but still this is extremely private for some people and to expose them like that is something I can't understand! Did they actually agree that you filmed them and put it online?
Anyhow, I know there are LOTS of these pink parlours in Shanghai as well, there are two very close from my apartment, it is a mystery to me how public they are located at even if prostitution is illegal in China.
Niklas Dougherty did a study answering some of the questions that Shanghaiist asks.
http://www.xingfu.se/kina/Prostitution%20in%20China.pdf
I agree with shopgirl that the interviewees in the video probably should have had their faces blurred although I imagine they probably knew what was up given that they could see the camera.
The reality is that China' sex industry is in line with Thailand's, Cambodia's and Lao's.
I'll bet that there is significant kiddie peddling but you have to be in tight with local powers to get access to that. The outrage would almost be a final nail in China's human rights coffin.
I was talking to a local friend of mine and he told me there used to be a very high incidence of rape in Shanghai. He said that after prostitution came back during the "reform and opening up" era, it has become a lot less common. In his words, "Now anyone who wants to bully a woman can pay money and go to a prostitute." :0 It would be interesting if there were figures to show if this more prostitution - less rape connection really exists.
I spent a few weeks in Shenzen and Guanzhou in 1995 and was absolutely stunned at the openness of prostitution in both cities. The connection between hair parlors and prostitution was evident within an hour of arrival in either city. And if one was staying in a Western hotel, it was impossible to ride an elevator without sharing it with multiple prostitutes. There was a very Wild West boomtown vibe there, owing I think in part to the fact that Shenzen and Guanzhou were special economic development zones at the time. Congrats to Laura Ling for a very illuminating pod at Current.
whats the difference between a girl who chooses to be a prostitute and a porn star?? Laura Ling has obviously been in China a whole 10 mins. There are probably more whore houses than tea house in China. I agree with the previously posted, more hookers, less rape theory. Her other option is slave away at KFC or Mcdonalds for 5 RMB an hour or make 20x that in 20 mins. If people take advantage of China ignoring corruption and bribery to make money, why cant these woman do the same.
I don't think the legalization of prostitution in China will come any sooner than the US legalization of drugs. Policy-makers around the world are all the same. They're way too busy with trying to maintain their policy-making powers than to solve any real social problems.
Considering the glowing review Shanghaiist handed this pod, I expected quite a bit more from it. They didn't "go around China", they were in Beijing the whole time. And they didn't find anything I can't find within six blocks of my apartment (
Ms. Ling didn't seem to have much experience in China, judging from her questions and responses (e.g. "Look in that red window, see the girls on the couch, I think they might be prostitutes!").
Nor did she explore the most complex elements of the story -- the reasons why those women started doing that work and the implications it would have on the lives they intended to return to in a relatively short amount of time.
Instead, we got Ms. Ling's "She made $12!" with a look of shock and pity, while the poor girl next to her looked completely humiliated.
I don't think you have to understand China all that well to understand how the sex trade fits into Chinese society/culture, as it does in some form in every society/culture. But assessments framed by an outsider's perspective, values, and limited knowledge are not likely to enhance true awareness. Just look at the sweatshop movement in the U.S., which actually took away jobs that people in China wanted.
In other words, I didn't like it.
What this is a secret? Pink houses are everywhere where I live. Outside schools, alongside police stations...
So f'ing what?
"Stupid Americans" is certainly what many people might think here once more.
Poor quality report. What is the point you try to make?
Laura Ling, have you been in China 25 years ago??? You don't even speak Chinese! What a disgrace. Only Americans are able to show this little respect and understanding for Chinese people and society.
What is the crux of the presentation here?
1) Oh look, China has prostitutes too.
2) You see, you see, I told you China is bad, one more evidence to show that they are hiding many things, now let Current reveal it!
3) Look, told you cheap labor is rampant there, you believe me now?
My guess is that they paid the girl a lot more than she might make in that day to talk in front of the camera. I just find it illogical that a girl wouldn't mind speaking out some private things in front of the camera... especially considering what she does for living. It just doesn't register me...
This is not just common in China but here in the US. Here in NYC, if you go to any barber shop or massage parlors at night, you can get a happy ending too. The worst thing is that the NYPD doesn't acknowledge that it is happening and does nothing about this.