[warning this particular entry is only for the strong Indonesian women ready for some unpleasant truths about life in Jakarta]
I decided to address this entry to our Minister of Tourism because she was featured in Forbes last month for her creative Indonesian tourism campaigns. I wonder if she is aware that many males tourists and expatriates from around the world come to Indonesia (mostly to Jakarta) for sex tourism? And yes, it generates alot of money... primarily for the owners of these illegal establishment, and the government officials who receive bribery to allow these to happen.
Of course, foreigners are not the only patrons of these shady establishments... in fact, it seems to me that local Indonesian men make up about 75% of the demography who frequent such places.
[ Indonesians sometimes talk disdainfully of the decadent West and the perceived immoralities of ""free sex"". Well, sex is largely free in the West.... Despite the rhetoric of Islamic and Eastern values, most Indonesians are essentially sensual, Epicurean and aesthetic, and love sex (also talking about it), good food and beauty]- Jakarta post http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2005/10/09/jakarta-nightlife-feminist-view.html
The second month I got back to Jakarta, this hush hush place called Alexis became the hot topic. I have never heard of it so I listened to my fellow Indonesian friends' (males & females) curious stories about this hotel converted to whorehouse called Alexis. They told me it's like the tower of pleasure... The hotel has 7-8 storeys. The 1st storey is just KTV for normal men and women. 2nd storey is for shady men only, KTV plus local prost. and as the storey goes up... you'll get to be entertained and to sleep with international prost. Supposedly, women/ prost. who are trafficked from China, Thailand, and Russia are the most expensive ones because they're high in demand in Jakarta. If I am not wrong, the fares in Alexis are in between 1,000,000 IDR++ for local prost. and 2,000,000++ for international prost. [you have to pay extra to tip the lady (or ladies), drinks, and the special selected room]. And ladies, establishments like Alexis do take credit cards too and I heard the charges will show as "food & beverages from some made up restaurant name"... so yes, if you see a questionable 3 million rupiah credit card bill and your husband is coming home late to "entertain clients", it is not wrong to question your male partner. [he is entertaining clients alright, but he better tell you what he is doing with them]
Dear Indonesian ladies, there are various types of shady establishments widely available in Jakarta. Sometimes Indonesian men go there to carry out business deals, to do something "fun" during their lunch breaks, or just to do "guy-bonding activities". I am going to list them based on the level of revolts they may cause: 1) All-men spa that provide hand jobs i.e. Delta 2) All-men spa that provide all the way services, i.e. My Spa 3) Massage parlors with happy endings 4) 1/2/3-star hotels that offer happy endings 5) Nightclubs that offer happy endings, usually drugs are widely available in these clubs 6) Nightclub/ KTV/ Spa/ Hotel that offers everything else a narcissist immoral pervert can imagine, i.e. Alexis
Seeing is believing, thus I am going to copy and paste several websites that give you more information on such establishments in Jakarta. A word of warning, Indonesia's nightlife is not for the faint-hearted. This metropolitan city, peppered with mosques and populated with women wearing jilbabs, is not as pure as it seems...
Take a deep breath... get a bucket... here we go ladies... [I was surprised that I have past these places on my way to work everyday without knowing what these places actually are, though the shadiest (and weirdest) ones are located in Central & North Jakarta]
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/06/jakarta-nightlife-tips-summary-of.html
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2010/01/best-spas-massage-parlour-jakarta.html
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/sparks-hotel-m-n-b-music-and-bar-jalan.html
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/my-place-massage-spa-jakarta.html
http://www.jakartaafterdark.com/
http://berita.assyams.com/foto/berita-tempat-hiburan-malam-paling-bergengsi-di-alexis-ancol-jakarta
The surprisingly numerous reviews of Alexis from men all over the world:
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/alexis-hotel-ancol-jl-r-e-martadinata.html
If you're curious how it feels like when these perverted men go to these places (just the interior and the girls):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZaiPYFvMpI&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL3F9004DA9118A94D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m5Cd3Gqpk8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG2SYSeakyk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PCk1G9CNgE
The inside of Alexis: [it is quite repulsive imagining a guy you know having been there]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ9MN6-vcSY
It may be quite depressing or revolting to discover these dark decadent lifestyle that exists around us (and our loved ones), especially when they are so easily accessible, affordable, and seem so "legal" a.k.a. all the other men are doing it? For a country who jails people for committing pre-marital sex, it just seems so hypocritical that they allow hundreds of whore houses to exist. And these whore houses are getting "better" at attracting their customers~ My Jakartan lady friends who are aware of it are so hush hush about it; even if they are aware their men are going to such places, they feel helpless about it. What can us women do..?
The existence of these sinful establishments degrade the general moral standards and respect for women in Jakarta. All Indonesian women should be aware of it- open their eyes, acknowledge that these places exist... and perhaps DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Obviously, we cannot just parade to these shady establishment and burn them down. Protesting to the government on how un-halal these activities are won't do much either since the corrupt government officials probably frequent these places too. Condemning these prostitutes aren't going to work because they are pretty much victims of poverty and the manipulation of unethical, despicable businessmen.
So, what can we do? These are the only 4 things I can think of now, the 4th is probably the most important:
1. Make smart decisions, protect yourself. If you find out the guy you are dating frequent such places, leave him. If your husband is frequenting such places, scold him and stop him from going back again... if he's addicted to prostitution or drugs, leave him - you and your children are probably better off living in a healthier environment.
2. Share this information with our loved ones, or fellow Indonesian women who care.
3. Try to address this issue to important/ powerful people who care. Let them be ethical businessman or less-corrupt government officials... [MARIE PANGESTU OPEN YOUR EYES DEAR... all these money that got into prostitution can probably be used to build much needed subway system + proper public housing in Jakarta or build schools to educate these street kids who will otherwise work in these red light districts eventually]... I think someday, someone up there might actually hear our concerns and prosecute officials & businessmen who profit from human trafficking.
~ how come these places are less "in your face" during Suharto era? Or was I too young and sheltered to realize all these things?
*4. Protect the future. Being a realist, sometimes I think it may be too late changing the lifestyle of current generation of Jakartan men whose mind have already been polluted by the plethora of immoral night activities available here. Plus, it might take more than decades to convince the Indonesian government officials to convict people responsible for these illegal establishments...
Hence, let's educate our children... girls and especially boys:
- girls be respectable and kind, don't just love men for their money
- boys be respectful of women
- girls learn how to love so your men don't search for love elsewhere
- boys learn how to love so your girls also don't search for love elsewhere
- boys & girls...
a) ...be aware of STDs (do they teach this in local Indonesian schools?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexually_transmitted_disease
b) ...be aware of human trafficking and do something about it. Human trafficking is very common in Indonesia and strangely many educated men (with college degrees locally/ abroad) find it socially acceptable ... http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/indonesia
Do emphatize with the less fortunate souls; these prostitutes are often transported in good cargos via ships. Most of these women are sold for the wrong reasons, and they have to squeeze 50 bodies in one giant container, share 1 mobile toilet, and eat cr*ps for months until the ships reach the destination, then they're delivered to whichever whorehouse orders them or bids highest for them.
I have heard of stories of how in Africa, the cut the feet of women to force them into prostitution... In Jakartan whorehouse, they pretty much lure these ladies into taking drugs, or threaten them, or create false promises to hook them into the business, to give up their bodies until they waste naturally with age and with multiple customers they have to serve... Have you ever wondered what happen to these women after they turn 30-plus-year old? When their wrinkles start to form, cellulites become more obvious, and STDs consume them physically?
I can only hope for the Indonesian ladies to be educated on this, and pass their words of wisdom to the new generation of Indonesian boys and girls~
"Once you choose hope, anything is possible" C. Reeves
I decided to address this entry to our Minister of Tourism because she was featured in Forbes last month for her creative Indonesian tourism campaigns. I wonder if she is aware that many males tourists and expatriates from around the world come to Indonesia (mostly to Jakarta) for sex tourism? And yes, it generates alot of money... primarily for the owners of these illegal establishment, and the government officials who receive bribery to allow these to happen.
Of course, foreigners are not the only patrons of these shady establishments... in fact, it seems to me that local Indonesian men make up about 75% of the demography who frequent such places.
[ Indonesians sometimes talk disdainfully of the decadent West and the perceived immoralities of ""free sex"". Well, sex is largely free in the West.... Despite the rhetoric of Islamic and Eastern values, most Indonesians are essentially sensual, Epicurean and aesthetic, and love sex (also talking about it), good food and beauty]- Jakarta post http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2005/10/09/jakarta-nightlife-feminist-view.html
The second month I got back to Jakarta, this hush hush place called Alexis became the hot topic. I have never heard of it so I listened to my fellow Indonesian friends' (males & females) curious stories about this hotel converted to whorehouse called Alexis. They told me it's like the tower of pleasure... The hotel has 7-8 storeys. The 1st storey is just KTV for normal men and women. 2nd storey is for shady men only, KTV plus local prost. and as the storey goes up... you'll get to be entertained and to sleep with international prost. Supposedly, women/ prost. who are trafficked from China, Thailand, and Russia are the most expensive ones because they're high in demand in Jakarta. If I am not wrong, the fares in Alexis are in between 1,000,000 IDR++ for local prost. and 2,000,000++ for international prost. [you have to pay extra to tip the lady (or ladies), drinks, and the special selected room]. And ladies, establishments like Alexis do take credit cards too and I heard the charges will show as "food & beverages from some made up restaurant name"... so yes, if you see a questionable 3 million rupiah credit card bill and your husband is coming home late to "entertain clients", it is not wrong to question your male partner. [he is entertaining clients alright, but he better tell you what he is doing with them]
Dear Indonesian ladies, there are various types of shady establishments widely available in Jakarta. Sometimes Indonesian men go there to carry out business deals, to do something "fun" during their lunch breaks, or just to do "guy-bonding activities". I am going to list them based on the level of revolts they may cause: 1) All-men spa that provide hand jobs i.e. Delta 2) All-men spa that provide all the way services, i.e. My Spa 3) Massage parlors with happy endings 4) 1/2/3-star hotels that offer happy endings 5) Nightclubs that offer happy endings, usually drugs are widely available in these clubs 6) Nightclub/ KTV/ Spa/ Hotel that offers everything else a narcissist immoral pervert can imagine, i.e. Alexis
Seeing is believing, thus I am going to copy and paste several websites that give you more information on such establishments in Jakarta. A word of warning, Indonesia's nightlife is not for the faint-hearted. This metropolitan city, peppered with mosques and populated with women wearing jilbabs, is not as pure as it seems...
Take a deep breath... get a bucket... here we go ladies... [I was surprised that I have past these places on my way to work everyday without knowing what these places actually are, though the shadiest (and weirdest) ones are located in Central & North Jakarta]
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/06/jakarta-nightlife-tips-summary-of.html
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2010/01/best-spas-massage-parlour-jakarta.html
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/sparks-hotel-m-n-b-music-and-bar-jalan.html
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/my-place-massage-spa-jakarta.html
http://www.jakartaafterdark.com/
http://berita.assyams.com/foto/berita-tempat-hiburan-malam-paling-bergengsi-di-alexis-ancol-jakarta
The surprisingly numerous reviews of Alexis from men all over the world:
http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2009/01/alexis-hotel-ancol-jl-r-e-martadinata.html
If you're curious how it feels like when these perverted men go to these places (just the interior and the girls):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZaiPYFvMpI&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL3F9004DA9118A94D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m5Cd3Gqpk8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG2SYSeakyk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PCk1G9CNgE
The inside of Alexis: [it is quite repulsive imagining a guy you know having been there]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ9MN6-vcSY
It may be quite depressing or revolting to discover these dark decadent lifestyle that exists around us (and our loved ones), especially when they are so easily accessible, affordable, and seem so "legal" a.k.a. all the other men are doing it? For a country who jails people for committing pre-marital sex, it just seems so hypocritical that they allow hundreds of whore houses to exist. And these whore houses are getting "better" at attracting their customers~ My Jakartan lady friends who are aware of it are so hush hush about it; even if they are aware their men are going to such places, they feel helpless about it. What can us women do..?
The existence of these sinful establishments degrade the general moral standards and respect for women in Jakarta. All Indonesian women should be aware of it- open their eyes, acknowledge that these places exist... and perhaps DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Obviously, we cannot just parade to these shady establishment and burn them down. Protesting to the government on how un-halal these activities are won't do much either since the corrupt government officials probably frequent these places too. Condemning these prostitutes aren't going to work because they are pretty much victims of poverty and the manipulation of unethical, despicable businessmen.
So, what can we do? These are the only 4 things I can think of now, the 4th is probably the most important:
1. Make smart decisions, protect yourself. If you find out the guy you are dating frequent such places, leave him. If your husband is frequenting such places, scold him and stop him from going back again... if he's addicted to prostitution or drugs, leave him - you and your children are probably better off living in a healthier environment.
2. Share this information with our loved ones, or fellow Indonesian women who care.
3. Try to address this issue to important/ powerful people who care. Let them be ethical businessman or less-corrupt government officials... [MARIE PANGESTU OPEN YOUR EYES DEAR... all these money that got into prostitution can probably be used to build much needed subway system + proper public housing in Jakarta or build schools to educate these street kids who will otherwise work in these red light districts eventually]... I think someday, someone up there might actually hear our concerns and prosecute officials & businessmen who profit from human trafficking.
~ how come these places are less "in your face" during Suharto era? Or was I too young and sheltered to realize all these things?
*4. Protect the future. Being a realist, sometimes I think it may be too late changing the lifestyle of current generation of Jakartan men whose mind have already been polluted by the plethora of immoral night activities available here. Plus, it might take more than decades to convince the Indonesian government officials to convict people responsible for these illegal establishments...
Hence, let's educate our children... girls and especially boys:
- girls be respectable and kind, don't just love men for their money
- boys be respectful of women
- girls learn how to love so your men don't search for love elsewhere
- boys learn how to love so your girls also don't search for love elsewhere
- boys & girls...
a) ...be aware of STDs (do they teach this in local Indonesian schools?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexually_transmitted_disease
b) ...be aware of human trafficking and do something about it. Human trafficking is very common in Indonesia and strangely many educated men (with college degrees locally/ abroad) find it socially acceptable ... http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/indonesia
Do emphatize with the less fortunate souls; these prostitutes are often transported in good cargos via ships. Most of these women are sold for the wrong reasons, and they have to squeeze 50 bodies in one giant container, share 1 mobile toilet, and eat cr*ps for months until the ships reach the destination, then they're delivered to whichever whorehouse orders them or bids highest for them.
I have heard of stories of how in Africa, the cut the feet of women to force them into prostitution... In Jakartan whorehouse, they pretty much lure these ladies into taking drugs, or threaten them, or create false promises to hook them into the business, to give up their bodies until they waste naturally with age and with multiple customers they have to serve... Have you ever wondered what happen to these women after they turn 30-plus-year old? When their wrinkles start to form, cellulites become more obvious, and STDs consume them physically?
I can only hope for the Indonesian ladies to be educated on this, and pass their words of wisdom to the new generation of Indonesian boys and girls~
"Once you choose hope, anything is possible" C. Reeves
