Authorities conducted a series of rescue operations on women entering prostitution or sex workers.
Under the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) monitoring, the online pimping of its pandemic has escalated.
Amid a tight and long lockdown last year, 1,598 were rescued, and 76 percent of them were no longer minors.
The social workers admitted that many of those rescued were returning to the same job even after counseling.
“Kadalasan, ang sinasabi nila, wala silang oras para mag-aral ulit. At mas mabilis yung pera na nakukuha nila sa dati nilang trabaho,” said Cecilia Tacon, a social worker in Quezon City.
Alias ”Rina,” a UP graduate, is a sex worker.
She has more than 200,000 followers on social media selling her sex videos. She said she chose this job and does not see herself as a victim.
“I chose sex work because the civilian jobs didn’t pay as much. Ang cost of living is P50,000. Saan ka makakahanap ng ganong trabaho? Yung content creation or pornography provided a lifestyle that I wanted for myself,” said Rina.
She is a member of the Philippine Sex Workers Collective.
Some sex workers complain of rescue ops; insist they are not victims
They called for a start when discussing accepting sex work as a legitimate job.
She said this would help establish standards and not abuse sex workers.
“Sana, kino-consult kami para yung protection na gusto mabigay sa victims, mabigay nila at the same time yung karapatan ng laborers na tulad namin, mabigay din nila,” explained Rina.
Gabriela’s group agreed with the call not to consider sex workers criminals.
But they are opposed to accepting sex work because they say women should not be treated as tools, especially in poverty.
“Sa apat na dekada, wala kaming nakausap na babaeng nasa prostitution na kung may option na kung may maayos na trabaho, regular na sahod, hindi na sila papasok sa prostitusyon,” said Gabriela secretary general Joms Salvador.
According to the NBI, they are open to hearing the grievances of sex workers. It is also good for the law to determine who are considered victims.
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