Indonesian Bugil (Indonesian Prostitutes)

A third world country, Indonesia's problems go beyond economic instability. Like any other third world Asian country, prostitution in Indonesia has made its way to the Internet. At first glance, you might think Indonesian bugil is some type of exotic variant local to Indonesia, however, the word "bugil" has a universal meaning, which is "prostitute".

Type in the keyword "bugil" in any search engine and you'll be lead to online pornographic sites featuring young Indonesian women naked or in indecent poses most likely with western men. Human trafficking has been a major issue in Indonesia, which concern the issue of Indonesian bugil. The economic crisis and the lack of opportunities for women in Indonesia has drove young women between 16-20 years of age to engage in prostitution.

The increasing number of HIV/AIDS incidences in Indonesia can be attributed largely to the rise in Indonesian bugil or prostitutes. A 1999 UNIFEM report puts the number of HIV/AIDS victims to 13,000 in Indonesia but WHO estimates the number of cases to around 35,000 – 50,000 affecting 14 provinces, one of the highest if not the highest among Southeast Asian countries.

There are at least 650,000 Indonesian bugil or prostitutes. Indonesian bugil is not an isolated issue and more than a health problem. The problem transcends gender and will eventually have its grave implications to a nation already reeling in poverty. For one, the rise in HIV/AIDS cases especially in the productive age group between 15-49 will cause a drop in the labor force and an increase in health expenditures.

Moreover, the high rate of Indonesian bugil will translate to more babies born without a father, adding to the staggering population growth in Indonesia. The question on how to prevent young women, even girls to work as an Indonesian bugil due to poverty, requires more than government efforts when the sex industry in Indonesia is a US$1.2 to $3.3 billion-industry. An ordinary Indonesian bugil has an average monthly earnings of $600, which is more than the income of other unskilled workers.

It is a sad fate that 30% of Indonesian bugil are children (below 17). In July 1998, prostitutes carried signs of protests in Indonesia against the mayor's plan to close down their complex. The signs said "I don’t' want to be a prostitute. The economic difficulties have made me a prostitute" should be a wake up call for the government as well as the international community that the existence of Indonesian bugil is merely a symptom of a deeper problem in Indonesia, and undermines the morals of a supposedly conservative nation. Unless this problem is addressed, more young women will succumb to the hands of flesh-hungry men.