Skip to content
Living

Indonesia to close down all red-light districts by 2019

By Maria SantosIndonesia
1 min read
indonesia
indonesia
In this article (5)

Indonesia plans to close down all red-light districts in the country by 2019, media reports said on Wednesday.The plan, under the supervision of the Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry, looks to shutting down a total of 168 such prostitution zones in the country, Efe news agency reported.

While 68 red-light areas have already been closed down, the remaining will be closed down in the next three years, said Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawasan.The ministry offers programmes for the social rehabilitation of women trapped in the sex trade.According to Unicef, 30 percent of sex workers in the country are minors.

Prostitution is widespread in the Indonesian archipelago, flourishing mainly in big cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung and tourist destinations like Bali and Riau, the last being a hub for visitors principally from Singapore.Theoretically, prostitution is legal in the country as it is not classified under any law in Indonesia — however, the police tends to penalise it by including it among offences related to indecency or outrage to public morality.

Questions & Answers

Q.

Which government body is overseeing the closure of the red-light districts?

A.

The plan to close red-light districts in Indonesia is under the supervision of the Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry.

Q.

How many red-light zones are targeted for closure in Indonesia?

A.

The Indonesian Social Affairs Ministry aims to shut down a total of 168 prostitution zones across the country.

Q.

What percentage of sex workers in Indonesia are reportedly minors?

A.

According to Unicef, 30 percent of the sex workers in Indonesia are minors.

Q.

How do authorities currently penalise prostitution in Indonesia if it's not illegal?

A.

Police tend to penalise prostitution by classifying it under offences related to indecency or outrage to public morality, as it is not technically illegal.

Reader pulse

What's the primary impact on retail?

23,591 votes so far

Weekly Briefing

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox

Monday, Wednesday and a Friday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

  • Top industry moves and market shifts
  • Weekly data-driven analysis from across Asia
  • Monday, Wednesday and the Friday Weekly Wrap

Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.

Protected by a quick human check. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe in one click.

SecureGDPR ready