October 13, 2004
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Prostitution.
“Xiaojie” is the mandarin word for “miss.” The first time I was in China, I observed that a waitress was often referred to as “xiaojie.” (Although I have since learned that it is better & more precise to call waiters/waitresses “fu wu yuan”.) I also learned that someone young and youthful like me can also be called “xiaojie.” On this last trip to China, our team was introduced to another meaning of the term.
At nights in the hotel we stayed at in FWC, we would get these phone calls from a “xiaojie,” offering her services to – I guess travelling businessmen and such. The phone calls would come every night. Down the hallway, we would hear phones ringing in succession, room by room. On one of the nights, we ascertained that the fee for such intimate services was 150 Yuan, which is about $20 US. On hearing this, I felt quite heartbroken that these young ladies had to sell their precious bodies for such a measly price. (For our bodies are priceless, are they not?)
The “faitfulness” of these nightly calls convinced me that there must be some kind of agreement between the hotel and the ones operating these services, and so therefore, prostitution must somehow be an acceptable practice. — one of those “and the government looks the other way” kinds of deals. Absolutely heartbreaking!!
Definitely something to pray for.
Comments (1)
prostution was pretty prevalent in japan too. i know it goes on here in america but i have never seen it. but i did in japan. on a less trafficy road in Tokyo, there were a handful of young girls with died hair, lots of make up, and fancy clothes waiting curbside. and about every five minutes or so a car would drive up and one would hope in without even batting an eye.
it was so sad! i was told that a lot of married men in japan either mingle with the prostitutes or have affairs with other women. they work so much that they no longer have much of a relationship with their wives and children. i dont think divorce is as common there, but neither are happy marriages.