FALSE EXPLOITATION

For the past few months, it's been all over the news here. Scores of men charged with having sex with an underaged prostitute. She was just short of her 18th birthday at the time.

Apparently, they had turned to an online escort site which had claimed all their models were over 18. So foolishly thinking they could trust the site's claims, they went ahead and paid for the young woman's services.

When questioned, many of the men were certain the woman looked of legal age. Her mannerisms and behaviour were consistent with a woman her age, according to them.

Based on what was reported, there are two lessons to be learnt here. Never trust claims until you see evidence in black and white. Secondly, never base age assessments on a woman's looks and behaviour. It's amazing what make-up can do these days and behaviour, well, some gals are just convincing actors, plain and simple.

On the other end of the stick though, I think the fact that human rights and human trafficking be brought into the fray (mostly by Western-based media) clearly shows a. the lack of understanding of the definitions and b. the failure to understand the true nature of this episode.

Firstly, the young woman was a willing party, apparently even 'closing deals' in some cases. She shamelessly led the high life, reaping and splurging on the returns of her work.

Secondly, it was reported that she was not coerced or forced into this but went into it as a willing party. She was not trafficked in any way and clearly was not a helpless victim of the sex trade.

How is this exploitation of the young woman? If anything, I would think that she was exploiting all her clients by willingly playing along with the lies that her pimp had propagated.

It wasn't that any of these men paid for the services with the explicit request for an underaged girl. They just got caught up in their quest for a sexual release and did not take precautions of checking her ID.

But then again, several guy friends of mine pointed out that few if any men would walk into a hotel or brothel and ask for the woman's ID. All they really want to do is get on with things, and disappear from there as soon as possible because they are guilty, or just don't want to be seen doing what they are doing. It's 'do it and split', said one guy.

Invariably, my sympathies go with the many families that have been affected by this whole episode. They are the victims. And while you think about it, consider that this young woman is likely to get little to no punishment whatsoever. Who wants to bet that she is still up to what she is doing, but with a different name. If anything, methinks this whole episode has done wonders for the size of her clientele.

Missus Singapore out!

Missus Singapore or Miss Us Singapore (at your own peril) - A married woman on the loose

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