My Experience Photographing the Yakuza

By Christopher Jue

After watching the movie “The Last Samurai” at a theater back home in Southern California (where I’m originally from), my curiosity for Japan inspired me to go and discover what it’s like. I took a couple of vacation trips out there and met a lot of good people before I found a job that sponsored my working visa to officially let me move out to Japan in 2005.


I actually majored in IT while in college, so the company that hired me was an Internet service provider in Tokyo. At that time, photography was entirely just a hobby that I had no intentions of making a career out of. While doing the IT stuff, I would shoot a lot of personal work related to Japan on the side, ranging from tourist landmarks to Japanese cars, people, events and fashion.


In 2008, I got an email from a CEO of a small Japanese modeling/talent agency asking if I was interested in working with him as a photographer and coordinator, so I jumped ship from the corporate IT life and have been working on interesting projects ever since…

Although I work with a diverse range of clientele, one of the most interesting assignments that I was able to take on to date was with The Times. Whenever I get commissioned with this newspaper, it begins with an “are you available and interested” type of conversation between myself and their Tokyo bureau staff, followed by a final confirmation from the desk in London.


The brief that was presented to me this time explained that there were lots of crimes happening within the community of Kita-Kyushu area, ranging from arson, to threatening phone calls, to people being slashed in the face by machetes. Basically, my job was to illustrate the dangerous goings on that were happening in the community and behind the closed doors of the Kudo-kai — the organization that the police and local people believed was ultimately responsible.

As this was a first-of-a-kind type of assignment for me, I was looking forward to it. After all, it’s not everyday one is allowed into the headquarters of a large mafia organization.

Even though I wasn’t too familiar with this particular Kudo-kai Yakuza group in the beginning, I thought to myself that sometimes it’s probably best not knowing too much. If I knew the organization, it might have changed my perspective and how I photographed them. It’s just like consistently looking at other photographers’ work, you become influenced by their style and the pictures you take are not really yours anymore.

In the beginning, I imagined the Yakuza would be stiff and serious — you know, mafia type personalities — but it was the total opposite. They were surprisingly welcoming and we were all treated with complete respect.

We saw a lot while inside their closed quarters, but there was one particular floor we couldn’t go into because they mentioned it was just a typical “messy” office with papers all over.

There are always challenges when I step out on a commissioned assignment, but the one main challenge for me every time is whether or not I can bring back usable pictures that are also visually stimulating. On this story, however, I was super focused rather than nervous and trying to make sure I had a variety of shots to choose from at the end of the assignment.

Nothing insidious or particularly eventful happened, but the Yakuza did insist on driving me in a separate car from the rest of the The Times staff at one point. Focused as I was, I thought they were going to drive off in another direction, but I assumed it was just so I could shoot from the car comfortably.


Afterwards, The Times staffers were joking with me that they were going to kidnap me and have me work as the organization’s staff photographer. It made for a valuable lesson in safety and understanding that it’s always the first priority while on any assignment.

It’s always better to ask permission rather than running and gunning the shots, especially when you’re dealing with the Yakuza.

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About the author: Christopher Jue is a photojournalist based our of Tokyo, Japan. He considers his images vibrant, honest and straight to the point. Visit his website here.

Polyamory Is a Good Way to Be Slutty Without Hurting Anyone

By Gabe Gilker

Polyamory supporters in San Francisco. via WikiCommons.
Tall, dark, and handsome. That’s the general idea of a perfect husband when you’re a little girl. You can’t really imagine what he’ll look like, but you imagine he’ll be waiting for you at the end of the aisle. You exchange vows in your own mind, have a tea party with some stuffed animals, then forget all about the fake wedding and run off to skin your knees somewhere. It’s pretty stereotypical to see little girls plan their dream weddings and with the onslaught of television shows geared toward monogamy like Say Yes to the Dress, Bridezilla, Four Weddings, and the countless other trashy programs that seem to be coming out, it seems like the whole world is putting on the heat to find that one eternal true love.

Anyway, I can’t tell whether it’s because I always develop a wandering eye after a few months, or if I just start to feel suffocated and trapped like a tiger in a cage, but monogamy always gives me that same old feeling of jamming a puzzle piece into the wrong place. I thought people in committed relationships were huge suckers. Then I had a friend sit me down and explain polyamory.

For those of you who aren’t aware of what polyamory is, it’s kind of like an open relationship but better. It’s based on the belief of loving multiple partners, so you can have many lovers, yet still forge deep and involved emotional relationships. The ideal polyamorous relationships are egalitarian, communicative, and honest. It sounds a little complicated at first, but once you get into the swing of things, it can be a pretty great way of living if you’ve struggle with the idea of “till death do us part.” The more I thought about it the more I considered it to be the exact kind of relationship that I would like. Basically, it seemed like a really good way to be pro-slut without hurting anyone.

I called up Zoe Duff, the director of the Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association, one of the organizers to “Claiming Our Right To Love,” the first ever Poly Convention in British Columbia, and author of Love Alternatively Expressed, which is due to be out this fall, to dispel some misunderstandings of polyamory and maybe help me sort out why I generally feel less than human when it comes to traditional relationships.
VICE: Some of my friends who are presently in polyamorous relationships talk about the "rules" of being poly. What are some of these rules?
Zoe Duff: Polyamory has the knowledge and consent of all partners as a key component. Fundamental to the philosophy is open honest communication and moving into new relationships with more than just consent but the support of all partners. The rules of any poly relationship are negotiated by the people in that relationship and modified as new people are added. Deborah Anapole's book Polyamory: The New Loving Without Limits has lots of tips for the successful practice of polyamory. Moving at the pace of the slowest partner is one that comes to mind. You don't push your partner into accepting a new partner however enthralled you are with him/her. You slow it down and negotiate as your partner is comfortable. Getting ongoing feedback from your partners to ensure that they all are getting a fair share of your time and energy is another.

Can you quickly explain to me some of the pros of being in a polyamorous relationship?
There are more minds on the problem, more incomes on the bills, more hands to take care of the housework, and more loving parents/grandparents to take care of the kids. Partners share different interests with you and so there is someone to dance with, someone to laugh with, someone to fix your computer, lots of snuggles, and schedule permitting, lots of great sex.
What are some of the down sides of a polyamorous relationship?
Poly is a lot of work. If more monogamous people worked this hard on communication, compromise, and inclusivity there would be a much lower divorce rate. Things like jealousy and safer sex are obvious issues that come up more often in poly relationships—but in general, poly people learn to negotiate honestly and find solutions. Sometimes this is very hard work. You can't get away with hiding information or bad behavior.
How do you avoid jealousy? It’s so human.
The trick is to keep the feedback continuous and be alert to the first signs of jealousy. It is a perfectly natural reaction to needs not being met. It is important to openly discuss it and find the true source. There are desensitizing exercises that are terrific in Deborah Anapole's book. You should not feel like you are "not poly enough" because you are experiencing jealousy, and it is essential that your partners work with you and support you working through it. There is always a period of adjustment when new people are added to the relationship, and if everyone works together with compromise and consideration the balance is restored and the relationship shared by all is enhanced.

Official swag from PolyCon, the convention for polyamorists. via the Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association.

What is the difference between polyamory and polygamy?
Polygamy can be polygyny (one male, several females) or polyandry (one female, several males). It is most often the former, and the relationships involve a marriage rite that is entrenched in some organized religious doctrine. The relationships are governed by the dominant partner—usually the male head of household—and his role is sanctioned by the religious community. This dominant partner is the only partner to have the right to take on new partners, although the knowledge of current partners and their acceptance is considered a key factor to the marriage covenant.
Polyamory can be any configuration of gender and size from the smaller group of three partners to an extended network of unlimited partners. Partners may or may not live together to still be considered members of the family unit. Most commonly, all partners have equal rights and responsibilities as well as full knowledge and consent to other partners joining the family. There are no set rules to how these relationships work, and are negotiated amongst the people involved.

How do you go about choosing a new partner to add to your already existing relationship?
Generally that is a process that you agree upon with your other partners. Everyone has a different amount of discussion required in being comfortable with adding new partners. In our family, we most often meet someone through an online dating site or a poly community event. If it’s online, we meet for coffee first and then date the person with the understanding that we are in a poly family and any long term relationship would involve getting to know other family members. If the new person is a poly community member, likely we all know them anyway. We all date outside of the household but a new partner that is to move into the house must have the approval of all partners. In my experience, it is important for the same gender partners or "metamours" to have a good solid friendship for poly households to be happily successful.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen from people who have attempted a poly relationship?
It never ceases to amaze me how someone who has struggled with discrimination will in turn be critical of someone else's choices because they differ from theirs. This happens in the poly community because we are reinventing relationship forms and living on the growing edge of personal development. “You don't do poly the way I do so you're wrong.” That’s very counterproductive to community building and always hurtful. Poly is about negotiating for a balance in the needs of those in your poly configuration and being inclusive and at least tolerant of the expression of other people who claim to espouse the same philosophy.

Would you say you're more of an asexual or a "quirky alone?" via Flickr.
Do you have any crazy poly stories to share with us?
The best poly stories are happy poly moments when the concept of "compersion" is realized. Compersion is when you can find happiness in the happiness of someone you love being loved by someone else. These are noted on poly lists a lot. Moments when you get the "aha" that poly is working and the philosophy is a reality. My best poly story is simply the bliss of walking hand in hand down the street in Vancouver with both of my partners at the same time and not getting one puzzled look or rude comment.  Sitting in a movie theater holding hands and cuddling with both of them. Stopping outside my workplace to kiss each goodbye after a lunch date and not even caring if there were puzzled looks by passersby. The craziness of poly is the wonderfulness that it isn't crazy—it is somebody's version of normal and all is right with the world regardless of who you or I love.
For those of us who are thinking of making the switch to polyamory, how do you know if a poly relationship is good for you?
Same as any other relationship. Are you happy?  Do you feel like your needs are met and you are valued by your partners? Is the level of communication and participation in decision making appropriate for your needs? Do you feel empowered and loved beyond any other experience that you wouldn't trade for anything? Relationships are always a work in progress, so you might not have all of that right now, but if you have none of it and you cry yourself to sleep at night, you’re in the wrong relationship regardless of how many partners you have.

source: vice.com

Assam Youth Brings Literacy To 11 Villages

By Prasanta Mazumdar 

Uttam Teron's school provides free education to over 500 students.

Guwahati, Aug 27 : Uttam has set up a school in a Guwahati village to provide free education. His friends laughed at him when Uttam Teron took it upon himself to educate his village. Ten years down the line, his tribal-dominated Pamohi village on the outskirts of Guwahati boasts of achieving a near 100% literacy.

In 2003, Teron (37) started a school Parijat Academy with just four students to realise his dream of 100% literacy for the children of Pamohi. Today, the school has 510 students from Pamohi and 11 neighbouring tribal villages. Parijat Academy is a non-profitable school for the underprivileged.

Its mission has been to provide free and quality education to children through ‘joyful learning’. “The people in my village are battered by poverty. Many of them would sell local brew to eke out a living. I saw children helping out their parents in the trade. So, I thought I should start a learning centre for these underprivileged children,” Teron, a science graduate and son of a retired railway locomotive pilot, said.

Pamohi has a population of around 2,000. Teron says 95% of the people in the village are literate today. In 2006, he launched a drive to educate women but had to give up midway as the women could not attend classes for several reasons.

Teron says his friends jeered at him when he told them about his plan to start a school for the underprivileged while his parents discouraged him fearing he was only spoiling his future. “I started the school in an unused cowshed with just Rs800.

It was a one-room thatched house with a pair of desk and bench and a blackboard. The turnaround, over the last few years, only bewilders me for I have never thought the school will grow to such stature,” he says.

The school, today, has 12 classrooms and classes up to Xth. It is semi-concretised and has a guest room and a dormitory that can house 15 students.

Teron pays Rs2,500 each to the 23 faculty members. He says donations received from well-wishers have kept the academy going.

He seeks donations through Facebook and e-mails.

‘Volunteers’ from Australia, US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Malaysia and the Czech Republic visit the school regularly to impart vocational training in computer, stitching, knitting, weaving etc.

Controversial Drug Licence Caneceled in Mizoram

Aizawl, Aug 27 : Mizoram Health Minister Lalrinliana Sailo today said that the controversial drug licence issued in the name of his "under-age" son, for which the entire opposition is gunning for his resignation, had already been cancelled.

The cancelled licence, however, could have been misused by anti-socials in the smuggling of some drugs from India to Myanmar, Sailo told a press conference here.

Abiogenesis Rocks New Delhi with Naga Howey Music

Abiogenesis, the International Indian Folk fusion band mesmerizes New Delhi on 16th August at ICCR's Azad Bhawan Auditorium with their genre of Howeymusic and a new wind musical instrument invented by a band member, Moa.

Abiogenesis performing at Azad Bhawan Auditorium, New Delhi on 16th august 13

Dimapur, Aug 27 : It was raining cats and dogs at Delhi, but it did not deter the music lovers of Delhi to throng the venue to listen to Naga Howey music and see and hear Bamhum, the new Indian wind musical instrument invented from Nagaland.

At the stroke of seven on the eve of August 16, the packed crowed at Azad Bhawan Auditorium, IP Estate, New Delhi, were mesmerized by the exclusive concert by Abiogenesis.

Organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Abiogenesis with their two new young recruits Kora Aier, 24 on Bass and Akhiu Kips, 17 on drums gave an energetic power packed one hour performance from 7 to 8 pm with tracks from their four albums.

After they played their last song, the crowd did not disperse but demanded for more and the band obliged with "Time for a Change" from their latest album "Legacy of The Mountains" a song which tells about potholes, power cuts and even asking the people how change can come about when the mandate is already sold and even praying to God to intervene.

The band stressed that the change doesn't necessarily mean changing of leaders but reviving oneself and dedicating to usher progress and development.

At the start of the concert before the band played,Anwar Haleem,Dy Director General (AH), ICCR handed a bouquet each to all the four band members.

Daniel Syiem's 'Ka Tlang' presented at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013

An all organic collection from the talented Meghalaya based designer Daniel Syiem captured the audience with his awe-inspiring designs

Shillong, Aug 27 : Inspired by the lovely winter season in Shillong, the chill in the weather, the picturesque mountains, and the fashionable local people of Shillong, Daniel Syiem presented another remarkable collection at Lakme Fashion Week W/F 2013. 'Ka Tlang' when translated is 'Winter in Shillong' that rightfully describes the soul of the collection.

The label seamlessly blends traditional craft with western silhouettes retaining an ethnic touch while conforming to global trends.His signature style of simplicity, love of nature and a deep-rooted pride in tradition was apparent in his design conceptions.

This collection showcased his all-embracing fashion aesthetic and caught everybody's attention due to his unique use of checks, eclectic collars, sleeve detailing and innovative designs. Using natural hand-woven fabrics, this collection was all about interesting coats and jackets, trendy pleated skirts, beautiful and classy shift dresses, fitted short wraps and lots more. His focus on unique natural colour dyes like turmeric yellows, indigoes and blues set him apart and has almost become his trademark in today's fashion industry.

An overwhelmed Daniel says "This time I have used a thicker version of the versatile fabric, Ryndia called ThohRew Stem and a traditional check fabric called Tapmohkhlieh, which is indigenous to Meghalaya. My inspiration has always drawn from the deep rooted distinct cultural heritage of Meghalaya, and I'm thrilled to see that my contribution to the fashion domain has been widely accepted and acknowledged".

'KaTlang' has been designed with minimum use of fasteners, where meticulously detailed outfits have been made from a completely natural, chemical free fabric.The amazing jackets are stylishly lightweight yet extremely warm, perfect for chilly winters.

About Daniel:
Daniel Syiem knew that the fashion world was his destination when he realized his true vocation- fashion. Recently, he showcased in the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013 in the Emerging category. He received a tremendous response from the press, fellow designers as well as national and international buyers. In 2000, he won the North-East Best Designer Award and there has been no looking back since. He has presented various collections all over India and his repertoire of fashion shows is immense. He has a string of awards recognizing his unique international style and focus on promoting organic and ethnic material exclusive to the North-East region of India. His forte in Western Wear is apparent in the clean silhouettes, seamless fluidity and interesting drapes in his collection.

Declining Insurgency Boosts Northeast Tourism

Shaking off their reputation for lawlessness, once-neglected states of India are emerging as new tourist hubs.

By Chandan Das

Initially, Nagpur-based marketing representative Binoy Bhandari planned his honeymoon for Uttarakhand's picturesque Ranikhet during the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations in October.

Naga Ao tribesmen perform a traditional dance during the Ao Naga Tsungremmong Festival on August 2nd in the village of Longsa in Mokokchung district in Nagaland. The harvest festival of thanksgiving is one of several nature-related draws and activities for the region's growing tourism industry. [AFP]

But he was forced to alter his plans due to July's devastating floods, which claimed nearly 6,000 lives. Now, he plans to spend his honeymoon in Meghalaya.

Bhandari, fond of hill stations, saw the northeastern state as a good alternative. "I have heard that Meghalaya is the 'Scotland of the East' and presents a wide variety of opportunities to tourists," he told Khabar South Asia. "I have never visited the northeast, so when I cancelled my booking for Ranikhet, I decided I will visit Meghalaya – the 'abode of clouds'.

"Besides, touring the region is comparatively inexpensive and I can enjoy most of the benefits that I would have in Ranikhet," he said.

Located in the eastern lap of the Himalayas and rich in flora and fauna, the northeast is an ideal destination for eco-tourists. It is also a great place for explorers and adventurists, with trekking activities, wildlife tours and river cruises.

Increasingly, domestic and foreign travellers are visiting the region. Citing official statistics, Finance Minister P. Chiadambaram in February told parliament, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a 41% surge in domestic vacationers, while Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura registered a 29% rise in international visitors.

"We are facing a surge of tourists, something we never experienced before," Anup Barua, representative of Guwahati-based Rhino Travels, told Khabar.

Less violence means more visitors
Industry officials say a sharp drop in violent activities carried out by separatist insurgents has contributed to the recent boom. With some militant groups hemmed in by tighter security measures, and others seeking out a peaceful avenue for pressing their claims, the northeast is starting to shake off the taint of lawlessness.

According to E Mkul Mehi, an executive member of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), past concerns about security, the lack of modern facilities, permit requirements and restricted flight options are outdated.

"Things have started changing after the government revoked the Restricted Area Permit (RAP)/ Protected Area Permit (PAP) mandatory for foreigners visiting Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and northern Sikkim in December 2010, and (also) a sharp decline in militancy," Mehi said.
The area has long been restive, with a wide variety of movements agitating for special status. In the past, their activities were a significant deterrent to visitors.

"There are about 100 major and splinter militant groups in the northeast demanding autonomy, sovereignty and even special status for different ethnic groups," Ranjit Upadhyay, managing director of Dimapur-based Deeksha Enterprises, told Khabar.

He said the groups engaged in subversive activities like abductions for ransom, blasts and murders "to keep people from other parts of the country from visiting the northeast states".

But Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says the various militant cells no longer wield the clout they once had, and some are interested in laying down arms and becoming part of the democratic process.
"Extradition treaties with Bangladesh and (Burma), closer ties with Bhutan, a series of ceasefire agreements with United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Indian Mujahideen (IM) and other militant groups, and isolation of these groups restored peace in the region, thereby helping to promote tourism."

Gogoi is hopeful for an Indian northeast tourism circuit with other states, as well as countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Burma.

Kolkata IT software developer Abhendu Chowdhury was geared up to spend Durga puja vacations with his family in Darjeeling. But separatist agitation in West Bengal caused them to re-book a tour package for Assam.

Like Bhandari, Chowdhury has not previously been to the northeast. "I decided to visit Assam because it offers me river cruises, visits to wildlife sanctuaries and the exotic tea gardens," he said. "I want to spend a few nights on a treehouse and also pray at the famous Kamakhya Temple."

'Sex Boxes' Now Open For Drive-In Brothel Business In Zurich

By John Heilprin

Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty ImagesVisitors walk by so-called "sex boxes" decorated with posters of a prevention campaign against AIDS on August 24, 2013 during an open door day at a sex drive-in in Zurich

ZURICH, Switzerland — No car, no sex.

That’s the rule for an experiment Zurich is launching Monday to make prostitution less of a public nuisance and safer for women.

Switzerland has long been famous for its mountaineering, chocolate and precision watches, but a lesser known aspect is its legal prostitution since 1942, for which its largest city is one of the main centres in Europe.

Fashionably teak-coloured open wooden garages, popularly called “sex boxes” by the Swiss media, will be open for business for drive-in customers. The several dozen sex workers who are expected to make it their new hub will stand along a short road in a small, circular park for clients to choose from and negotiate with. The park was built in a former industrial area nestled between a rail yard and the fence along a major highway.

AP Photo / John HeilprinProstitutes will be concentrated in a small city park built for more than USD $2 million in the Altstetten area of Zurich

The publicly funded facilities — open all night and located away from the city centre — include bathrooms, lockers, small cafe tables and a laundry and shower. Men won’t have to worry about video surveillance cameras, but the sex workers — who will need a permit and pay a small tax — will be provided with a panic button and on-site social workers trained to look after them.
As far as Daniel Hartmann, a Zurich lawyer, is concerned, it’s a win-win situation.

“Safety for the prostitutes. At least it’s a certain kind of a shelter for them. They can do their business, and I respect them,” he said. “They do a great job, and they have better working conditions here. … They’re not exposed to the bosses, to the pimps, in here.”

AP Photo/Keystone, Ennio LeanzaProstitution is legal in Switzerland, but Zurich restricts it to certain areas, and is experimenting with the drive-in facilities

On Saturday, Hartmann was one of several hundred residents, including many women and a small throng of journalists, who flocked to the only “open house” that Zurich will offer to give the public a better idea of how its taxpayer money has been used.

Most of the visitors said they came out of curiosity and haven’t really come to terms with the idea, but hope it will at least improve safety. Others were amazed and a bit amused that a whole group of strangers would spend a rainy afternoon openly discussing professional sex.

Brigitta Hanselmann, a retired special needs schoolteacher from Embrach, Switzerland, said: “I have to think about it for a long time, because it’s so incredible that a city offers that to the men, and it’s interesting that there are many, many women here who are looking at it.” She called the sex boxes “an effort to control a thing that you can’t really control.”

Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty ImagesVisitors walk next to "waiting benches" on August 24, 2013

Voters in Zurich approved spending up to 2.4 million Swiss francs (US$2.6 million) on the project last year as a way of relocating the sex traffic away from a busy downtown area where it had become a public nuisance and safety concern due to lack of sanitation, aggressive men, and associated drugs and violence. The city, which only allows prostitution in certain areas, also plans to spend 700,000 francs (US$760,000) a year to keep the sex boxes running.

Jean-Marc Hensch, a business executive who heads a neighbourhood association in another part of Zurich, said he hopes the sex boxes succeed because otherwise the prostitutes might return to his area. He also cited the disgusting lack of sanitation in other city areas where prostitutes and their clients defecate and urinate in the streets and gardens, or have sex in the open because they have nowhere else to go.

“It’s an experiment,” he said. “It was absolutely urgent to find a solution.”

FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty ImagesVisitors inspect on August 24, 2013 a so-called "sex boxes" during a doors open day at a sex drive-in recently unveiled by the city of Zurich which local authorities say it will enable them to keep closer tabs on prostitution, a year after voters backed the plan. Due to be opened officially on August 26, the nine boxes are located in a former industrial zone in the west of the metropolis. The site will be open daily from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am, and only to drivers, who must be alone in their vehicle if they want to pass the gate. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

The drive-in garages, or sheds, have no doors to shut and come equipped with an emergency call button on the passenger side of the structure that sets off a flashing light and a loud alarm inside an adjacent office building where the city will post social workers specially trained to provide a measure of security. The Zurich police say they will beef up patrols around the perimeter to protect the sex workers when they leave and enter.

Modeled after the drive-in brothels used in several cities in Germany and the Netherlands, which have had mixed success improving safety, the sex boxes will be open daily from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. The city painted the outdoor bathrooms in soft pink and blue, strung colorful light bulbs among the trees and posted creative signs encouraging the use of condoms to spruce the place up a little and make it seem more pleasant.

We built the place to be secure for the sex workers. It also had to be discreet for the sex workers and the clientele. But we thought if we build the place, we can also make it look good

“We built the place to be secure for the sex workers. It also had to be discreet for the sex workers and the clientele,” said Michael Herzig of Zurich’s social welfare department. “But we thought if we build the place, we can also make it look good.”

Along with improving safety for prostitutes, the sex boxes are seen as a way to curb illegal trafficking among crime syndicates. Prostitution, escorts and massage parlours are a thriving business in a nation with wealthy and international clientele and tourists.

Zurich requires that street sex workers register with city and health authorities, and it offers health checks and requires that sex workers be at least 18 years old, in keeping with a Council of Europe convention on protecting children from exploitation and abuse.

In Switzerland, anyone who works in the sex trade must be at least 16, the legal age of sexual maturity. The income is taxed and subject to social insurance like any other economic activity.
But some cities have their own rules and some of the 26 Swiss cantons (states) have adopted separate legislation on prostitution. A special unit of the cantonal police force, usually the vice squad, carries out inspections of prostitutes in red light areas.

No video surveillance was installed at the sex boxes, so as not to scare off business, but also because police and city officials concluded after studying the handful of other such facilities in Europe that the only thing that would improve safety is an on-site security presence. To use the place, sex workers also must obtain a special permit, at a cost of 40 Swiss francs ($43) a year, and pay 5 francs ($5.40) a night in taxes, which helps the city offset maintenance costs.

“We can’t solve the whole problem of exploitation and human trafficking,” said Herzig, “but at least we want to reduce the harm, especially the violence.”

source: AP