Risky business of sex in the city
- Source: The Global Times
- [20:36 May 20 2009]
- Comments
Heroin
Officially, Xiao Xue doesn’t exist: there is no official number for prostitutes in China. But the World Health Organization estimated in a report in 2004 that there are about six million sex workers, mostly from the countryside.
The work of documentary photographer Zhao Tielin hints at a truer number for this highly mobile group of taboo citizens. His 10 books of photo essays offer a rare glimpse into the life of these sometimes invisible, sometimes all-too-visible women.
The next step for Xiao was crystal meth, taking it once or twice a week before sex with a client. The drug improves potency and she could earn 1,000 yuan on it, almost ten times her regular fee.
“My feelings during sex on drugs just sucked. But I had to tolerate it because I was in dire need of money for heroin,” says Xiao.
“I couldn’t stop crying when I was having sex.”
Xiao believes a new materialistic mood created a domestic explosion of trade in the world’s oldest profession, citing young sex workers she knows who are in the business for easy money, fancy clothes and designer drugs.
Peak trade is 7 pm-4 am. For the 1.6-meter-tall chatty professional, money comes easier this way than going to more regular work.
“Making a living is my first priority,” she says. “I have no regular job. I need to make money and get my stomach full.”
It’s not long before she lights the second cigarette.
“Once when I was running out of money I walked 20 kilometers, just for sex,” she says. “If I had had just a 10 yuan note in my pocket, I wouldn’t have done it.”
In response to a question about what she hopes the government will do for sex workers, she says the government should provide better regular jobs, a better health service and some sort of institution where prostitutes can seek confidential counseling.
“A care and sympathy campaign for sex workers isn’t worth a hot bun. All the posturing and lecturing means less to us than a simple, square meal.”
She stops talking. Tears fill her eyes. For such a talkative woman, a few seconds are a painfully long silence.