To Yukiko, life on the street as a prostitute is never easy.
Not only does she suffer the physical pain caused by hours of standing, she also faces the danger of being caught by "fishers" -- prostitutes slang for policemen who pretend to be patrons and seek to arrest suspects engaging in illegal sexual transactions.
"I have been in the business for 30 years," she said. "When two people come into the alley, act like they are drunk, and start asking questions such as `How much do you charge, lady?' I know they are [fishers]."
Yukiko added that once she was betrayed by one of her patrons, who cooperated with a police officer. As soon as she sat down with the patron the police came in and caught them "in the act."
Today, Yukiko will join her peers, representatives from the Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters and other social groups to appeal to the government to decriminalize sex workers.
Participants, who will share scooters, plan to ride from Longshan Temple to the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA).
Besides a parade, the organizers will also put on shows, dances, a short documentary film and a seminar to reinforce their message. Toward the end of the parade, participants will jointly sing a song titled "Trashy Government" and announce the formation of a labor union for sex workers.
The legislation was passed in 1997 when Chen was mayor, but was not implemented until 2001, by which time he was president.
Since then, approximately 60 percent of formerly legal prostitutes have resumed their careers as illegal prostitutes, according to Chien Chia-ying (
Chien and other volunteers routinely walk the streets near the Wanhua area of Taipei at night distributing condoms and giving advice to sex workers on how to avoid contracting sexual diseases.
Chien noted that in her experience these women were not born to be criminals.
Each has a story to tell about how they become what they are now, she said.
The nation's lackluster economy has forced many to go back on the streets, she added, and hardly anyone is concerned about the safety of their working conditions.
"The police simply try to catch an unfortunate few to meet their quota," Chien said, adding that this has created tremendous pressure on many prostitutes.
Chung Chun-chu (鍾君竺), executive director for the Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters, said that Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) conducted an assessment of the sex industry in 2002, in which it was proposed that a public hearing should be held about how prostitution could be regulated. Meanwhile, it suggested that the government strengthen its communication with sex workers.
Although the organization's appeals have received a sympathetic response from legislators and officials, Chung noted that many have been hesitant to endorse them.
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