Q8NRI.com

Kuwait: Prostitution, considered the world”s oldest profession, has plagued Kuwait and stirred an unavoidable “ripple effect,” causing the collapse of marriages, an increase in human trafficking for sexual reasons, and a demise in morality and core human values. Prostitution has taken a new image, embodying professional workers, housewives and the birth of male escorts and male entertainers in the country.

These individuals are blatant, opportunistic and bold, and one must not disregard the fearless gangs abducting and selling women in well hidden and guarded brothels within the country.There are many factors contributing to the growth of the flesh market in the country, and unemployment and insufficient salaries top the list. But whatever these reasons may be, money will always be the cause as to why these individuals voluntarily commit to such acts. Sources say that some European women have been hired by suspect companies and housed in decent accommodations, receiving a basic salary and sold for as much as 75 to 150 Kuwaiti dinars per client. The sources also say that brothels exist in Hasawi, Jleeb, Salmiya, Fahaheel, Fintas and Jabriya.

Al Watan Daily spoke to some of these women and men involved in the trade, and they painstakingly, yet hesitantly, shared recounts of their personal victories, close brushes with death and situations where they were nearly caught, all in exchange for easyـearned cash. The sources requested anonymity for reasons of safety and protection from physical and verbal harassment by the public, and all names have been changed.

Lulwa, married with two children and living with an unemployed husband, belongs to a group of professional women who work in offices in the morning and perform provocative dances at private parties for men on weekends. She explained that the amount she earns from her regular office work is not sufficient enough to support her children”s education and daily household needs. Lulwa said that she was introduced to these private functions by a friend two years back and the amount she earns supports her family”s needs.
When asked if she performs sexual acts with the men who are present on such occasions, Lulwa said: “What”s the point of denying it? Yes, I do, but definitely for a price. Such requests come after a couple of performances in the evening, not in the same place, but those interested will often bring me to their own private apartments.”

Lulwa also said that her husband definitely knows what she does if she comes home in the early morning, but such issues are never discussed between them. Lulwa said that in some cases, clients will take her out for dinners and that the evening eventually ends up at their private apartments.

Abeer on the other hand left her job but is busy on weekends. She admitted belonging to a group of friends who hang out at coffee shops and sheesha cafأ)s in Hawalli and Salmiya. Abeer disclosed that the owners of the cafأ)s where she goes for her regular sheeshas are aware of what she does for a living, and in some cases, she meets her clients through them.

“I receive complimentary sheesha and food when I go to these places. I am not alone; in fact, I have come to know that some of these women who frequent these places are in the same trade and we often exchange stories and receive warnings about certain people, who have either refused to pay after services have been rendered or those who may create a risk of being caught, such as local authorities,” added Abeer.

She admitted to having been forced to have sex with a group of four men in a flat in Salmiya, but felt helpless as two of them were officers of local police precincts who threatened to imprison her should she decide to file rape charges.

“These are risks that accompany the work, but all that matters to me is the money I make at the end of the night,” concluded Abeer.

Men are no exception to this trade. Al Watan Daily spoke to a couple of men who are in the sex industry. Alaa, a twenty four year old worker of a casual dining restaurant, admitted to performing sexual acts with homosexual and female clients for a price. He admitted to using his good physique and looks to attract clients.

“I was initially offered fifty Kuwati dinars by a young Arab woman who took me to an apartment in Hawalli. I receive calls on daily basis from different individuals and I go regardless of the time. Eventually I quit my job and bought myself a car and a visa from a friend, and I have managed to become a partner to a small clothing store in Kuwait City,” stated Alaa.

He admitted to having traveled to Europe through some clients who offered to take him on trips abroad. “Some of the women I meet are extremely lonely and need company; others need sexual satisfaction and homosexuals are different, they ask for a relationship, which is impossible to do. I guess this is the advantage of being a man in this trade, you lose nothing, but gain a lot,” said Alaa, who also disclosed to Al Watan Daily that many of his friends are in the same trade, aside from their regular jobs.

Allan admitted to Al Watan Daily that he provides striptease performances on some occasions. “I receive extra amounts in exchange for a fifteen minutes dance routine. My clients are not women, but homosexuals who want to have fun and add something different to their gatherings. I used to work as an escort back home, and I guess my mixed features attracts these men,” added Allan. Allan admits that no one knows of what he does outside his work. “I would rather do this than work as a masseur in a salon and perform sexual acts with clients for a small price. This is rampant in Kuwait and many have been caught red-handed, jailed and deported. I have a child and wife to support and have no plans to keep doing this any longer, it is too risky,” added Allan.

Prostitution in Kuwait does not only involve individuals, but organized groups that provide accommodation and safe havens for runـaway domestic helpers and illegal women, such as is the case with Susan, who managed to leave the country and work in another Gulf State.In a phone interview, Susan disclosed that she used to work in one of the prostitution houses in Jabriya, which was run a by a local and his Asian wife. She admitted to being sold every night for KD 10 and receiving half the amount per client. Susan added that most of the women were of different nationalities and either ranـaway from their employers or were not in possession of legal residency documents.

“The women arrive on a daily basis and are recruited by the wife of the owner of the brothel. They are often promised solutions to their problems, such as legalizing their stay or a safe exit from the country through connections. Some manage to save enough and settle their dues with their employers, and several others have suffered the fate of having been caught and deported,” added Susan. She said that these women have not been forced but willingly submit to the repercussions if caught.

Public defender Mishaal AlـKandiri explained that prostitution is a highly punishable offense in Kuwait. Numerous women engaged in the trade have been caught, jailed and deported, and in many instances those who have been abducted and forced to embrace the trade have earned their rights to bring justice to those responsible. The Kuwaiti government is not tolerant to such cases and strict measures have been carried out to punish those who practice and patronize it, as stated in reports published in several newspapers. Asians belonging to a huge crime syndicate of trafficking women have been exposed in the open, caught and currently are serving jail terms.

“Everyone knows such crimes are committed in Kuwait, just like in any other country, but in a country like Kuwait where moral, social and family principles are highly valued, such crimes have no place in society and government agencies involved should double their efforts to eradicate this practice, and to those who practice it, they must take into consideration the legal implications of their actions and the health risks of being infected with communicable diseases,” concluded Al-Kandiri.

Ricky Laxa – Al Watan Daily