Nothing
is new about the fact that men like to go to bars. Whether it is to get away
from their problems or just to hang out with the ‘fellas’, a night of drinking
isn’t unusual for some men.
Some bar owners
in the Corporate Area of Kingston, Jamaica, have been capitalising on this by
setting up small sex rooms near bars to accommodate women who offer sexual
services.
One bar owner,
who did not want to be named, told Jamaican newspaper, THE WEEKEND STAR that he
recently built a room at the back of his bar to facilitate the women who wish
to ‘work’. In exchange for the use of the facility, he gets a percentage of
their earnings.
“People know seh
a woman mek man come a bar, and in some cases, a di woman dem tek care a the
man dem. We give them a place to do them thing, and we tek a piece. Mi settle
for a five per cent, depending on how much dem work that night,” the man said.
While he
acknowledges that the women are engaging in prostitution, which is illegal in
Jamaica, he said that the females are merely earning an income.
“You would be
surprised the type people that come here to get their regular ‘workout’. These
women have children, who they need to send to school, and they are getting the
clients. Instead of going to a corner to do something, they have a clean bed
and a shower to clean up themselves after,” he said.
A bar attendant
from another establishment said that she believes the Government needs to
regularise prostitution because everyone benefits from it.
“A long time
people a put on room pon bar fi dem thing yah. Business owners a benefit, the
woman dem a benefit and the man dem a benefit because if there wasn’t a demand,
the women dem wouldn’t have no service to provide,” she said.
She said that the
room was added to the bar she currently works at about a year ago, and the clients
have been coming in. She said that the ‘extra’ service is not openly advertised
because they do not want to be caught.
“Wi always have
people a come in, enuh, but more man a come in. The men dem weh know how the
thing stay just indicate to me, and mi link one a the girl dem, and dem sort
out a thing. Dem pay me and pay the girl differently. So, it’s a win-win for
the owner and the girl dem,” she said.
One woman, who
often offers sexual services at bars, said that she was introduced to
prostitution by one of her friends. And so far, she has no regrets.
“People will
condemn wi, but regular nine-to-five nah work. Mi have three children, and dem
fadda nah tek care a dem, so mi a hold my own. The money weh mi a mek is good,
so mi nah go stop dweet,” she said.
