Please protect accordingly. In a city that prides itself on beginning strongly Christian, prostitution has been forced further underground, making monitoring the incidence of HIV difficult. Trafficking volume has increased in recent months for reasons that remain unclear. Local officials, however, turn a blind eye to the problem, despite sufficient anti-trafficking legislation.
End Summary. HIV 2. According to Dr. Pangemanan, there are at least known 1, HIV cases in North Sulawesi, but the provincial government has little interest in the issue. SBU Unlike other urban areas, where prostitutes ply their trade in concentrated areas of town, Manado prostitutes are working in individual areas scattered throughout the area.
Pangemanan explained that local officials want to promote Manado's reputation as a religious, Christian city. Obvious prostitution would undermine that image. As a result of local government regulation and enforcement, prostitution is forced further underground, making it more difficult for NGOs to monitor the spread of HIV and provide education about the dangers.
SBU According to Dr. Pangemanan, the volume of trafficking has increased dramatically since January. Previously, every month, two girls from North Sulawesi were trafficked to Papua, Jakarta, Batam then to Singapore , Kalimantan, Malaysia and Japan; now it is more like two girls per week. According to Sahabat Perempuan's data, between January and September , 80 girls had been trafficked.
Pangemanan offered no specific insights into why the volume of trafficking was increasing, other than to note that Manado girls were considered very desirable in other parts of Southeast Asia.
