Likewise, the KMT/PFP camp will be unlikely to stick its neck out on this loaded issue. Nevertheless, the parade will be an opportunity for participants to put on a show and no doubt get plenty of attention from the media and public. After all, there's nothing the TV news likes better than a story with a sex theme.
But the issues behind the bared breasts -- if, indeed there are any tomorrow -- are large and the attempts on the part of the festival to stimulate discussion are noteworthy when considering the facts about prostitution in Taiwan.
According to the National Police Administration, more than NT$22 million in fines ranging from NT$3,000 to NT$30,000 were collected from prostitutes last year and almost NT$250 million in fines have been levied over the past decade. On top of the fines, about 37,000 days, more than 100 years, of jail time have been served over the past decade by prostitutes caught on the job.
A conservative estimate that COSWAS provided and was attributed to the police has 50,000 sex workers active in Taiwan. A loose calculation of their earnings at NT$2,000 per day would put the total income of the sex industry at NT$36.5 billion per year, much of it currently making its way into the pockets of pimps, gangsters and middlemen.
"We're hoping that by providing cultural activities, like parties, exhibitions and workshops, we'll attract attention to the issues from people who would otherwise shun the topic of prostitutes," Chung said. "We know from experience that most people don't want prostitution totally banned, nor completely legalized. This event aims to help the public try to find the middle ground."
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