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Sunday, February 23, 2003
Innocence lost: A prostituted woman's story
WITH the City Council passing the anti-pimping ordinance recently, would the future of women like Mara (real name withheld to protect her privacy) be offered a glimmer of hope?
Mara is what one may describe as a typical 15-year-old morena beauty. She came from a nearby province and went to Cagayan de Oro City to apply as a housemaid.
She was fortunate enough to work for a very prominent family. Mara told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that she enjoyed her job since her employers are very humane to her.
She said she was so happy with her new job for three months until one Sunday afternoon when she asked permission from her employer for a day off.
She usually went to church but this time she went to Gaston Park for a casual stroll.
As she walked beside the fountain, a certain Chay (name withheld) approached and offered her a job that could enable her to earn big money the easy way.
Mara found the proposal too tempting and so accepted Chay's offer right there and then.
When she arrived home, Mara asked her employer that she is quitting as a maid since she found a better paying job with her new found friend. Without any hesitation, her employer permitted her.
"Gi-ignan pa gyud ko ni ma'am nga basin daw mag-basol ko. Pero gusto man ko makakita ug dako nga kwarta kay daghan man ko ug tabangan (I was told by Ma'am that I may have regrets. But I wanted to earn bigger money because I have plenty to help)," she said.
Mara called up Chay who then told her to start her job immediately that night. She was forced to have a make-over which she accepted.
Then she was accompanied by Chay to a lighted section in the city. She was told to maintain her poise and do whatever the man asked her to do. "Nituo ko kay sya man akong amo (I believed that she was my employer)," she said.
That night Mara lost her innocence.
From then Mara kept on returning to the lighted portion in the city and everytime she has one customer, Chay asked for 20 percent of her income.
She said she is very much in demand during pay day and weekends when she can earn more than P1,000 a night. Mara then sends the money to her family back in the province.
For three years now, Mara is still doing the same "night job" since it's the only one she knows where she can earn that much money.
But she said if there is still a chance for her to change she would leave her "occupation" in a heartbeat. But there is a problem.
Mara said she can't betray Chay because Chay threatened that he has people who can kill her the minute she reports her case to the police.
As innocent as she is, she is afraid of him and hopes that authorities in Cagayan de Oro would imprison people like Chay.
"Grabe kaayo nga bugaw. (He's quite a pimp.)," she said.
Under the city's anti-pimping ordinance pimps like Chay would be hard to pin down.
Due to the amendment police simply cannot jail a pimp for the mere act of negotiating with prospective customers.
The new provision states the pimp can only be penalized if they can produce evidence of actual money-changing hands as well as the woman in question to the court.
And so the future of women like Mara may grow quite dimmer should the law prove ineffective. Mara is also a woman; a mother, sister, wife and girlfriend.
She too is a human being who has made some mistakes and is trying to change her life. Women like Mara only wish one thing; to get back at tormentors like Chay and receive justice for their plight. RY |
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