Pacific agency helps Fijian sex workers to return school for second chance
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E-mail Xinhua, August 7, 2012
Pacific agency helps Fijian sex workers to return school for second chance
SUVA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Pacific Counseling and Social Services (PCSS) said here Tuesday that 40 Fijian former sex workers have returned to school under the regional agency's Sekoula Program.
Veronica Chand, PCSS Community Services Centre Branch Manager told media that the workers under the program were first presented with the opportunity and put back into schools once they show a genuine commitment.
One now works as a qualified hair dresser and two more have recently opened their own business.
According to Chand, to help support them, assistance in the forms of bus fare and stationary is given by the center and assessments are done at their homes to check that they have proper lighting for studying purposes and food for daily school lunches.
Their academic performance is also monitored and they are also encouraged to progress to tertiary level if they cope.
Most of these former sex workers drop out of school early to help support their financially struggling families.
The sex industry is rife in Fiji, with some reports saying rates of prostitution are equivalent to those in Thailand.
Citing concerns about the growth of the sex industry, the current government had rounded up sex workers, taken them to the military barracks and forced them to squat and do duck-walks and roll in mud to discourage them from prostitution.
A report by Australian researchers published overseas on the crackdown says the practices "amount to torture", including publicly shaming the women and subjecting them to sleep deprivation. One of the women said the abuse made her feel she was "somewhere like Hotel Rwanda."
The report, by researchers at the University of New South Wales, examined the treatment of workers since the introduction of a " Crime Decree" in Fiji which gave the security forces powers to detain people suspected of selling sex and made it illegal to employ or live with a prostitute. The rules were brought in by Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama's government of Fiji. Enditem
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