Taiwan Government Policy Compromises Public Health and Endangers Aids Prevention

On September 6, 1997, Taipei City Council and Taipei City Mayor Chen Shui-bian joined hands in revoking the licenses of the last-remaining 128 legal prostitutes of Taipei who had been operating in prostitute houses sanctioned by previous regimes for the past 40 years. By driving into illegal prostitution the last remaining legal sex workers of Taipei who have proven to be instrumental in the prevention of aids, the Taiwan government has exposed its insincerity in devoting itself to the cause of disease prevention.

Government report has time and again shown that none of these legal prostitutes have been found to be HIV-positive for the last five years since the health bureau instituted such regular check-ups--which certainly goes to show the importance of disease-prevention programs for sex workers when the programs are positively supported and carefully executed by the policy of legalization of sex-work. Most of these women are semi-literate single mothers in their mid-forties, many of whom are supporting extended and poor families. Still, they have proven to be effective in the prevention of aids. Yet the Taipei City Government, in an effort to show its determination in the recent governmental anti-obscenity campaign, willfully decided to abolish all legal prostitution, thus compromising disease prevention programs with grandiose moral proclamation.

Since they learned of the government ban, these sex workers, with the support of labor-oriented women's activist groups, have protested the arbitrary decision of the ruling power elite. On September 6th,they went to the city government to plead for a meeting with the mayor in order to personally express their grievances. The citygovernment replied with a line of police, barring the entrance to the building; the stand-off later exploded into a scuffle between the police and the middle-aged sex workers, leaving quite a few women bruised and hurt. On September 11th, the protesting group returned to the city government to demand a public debate with policy makers of the city. Again, they were met by police. On September 14th, pressed by loan sharks and the hardships of life, one prostitute attempted suicide. Fortunately she was saved in time. Again the city government shows only indifference.

In order to maintain a good aids prevention program, we urge you to sign your name in support of these 128 middle-aged lower-class prostitutes and their right to work. We urge you to voice your concern over Taiwan government's lack of concern for aids prevention. Please forward this message to all concerned. In the long-run, we work toward making all sex work decriminalized, safe and protected, and aids prevention programs be carried out without the usual stigma. In order to push for that goal, we are now planning for a world-wide scale conference on sex work and AIDS prevention to be held late 1998 in Taipei. If you are interested in coming, please e-mail us with your name, organization, possible topics that you would be interested in discussing, and anything else that you would like to add. We need your support and suggestions in our fight to ensure women's right to their bodies and their life.