Necessary Evil for Men vs. Sexual Exploitation of Women

Abuse – transitive verb 1: to put to a wrong or improper use; 2: obsolete (deceive); 3: to use so as to injure or damage (maltreat); 4: to attack in words (revile).

noun 1: a corrupt practice or custom; 2: improper or excessive use or treatment (misuse); a deceitful act (deception); 4: language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily; 5: physical maltreatment.

Abuse, in any and all of its forms, is something many Korean women and girls deal with every day. In 2002, a survey done by the Korean Institute of Criminology, the number of sex purchases in Korea equaled to 4.4 of the countries GDP (Gross Domestic Product), almost the same as agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries combined. The survey also showed that there were at least 33,000 women working in prostitution. 8% of women working in Korea in their twenties and thirties were prostitutes. Also, a survey done by the Korea Women’s Hot Line showed that 42.6% of Korean men have purchased sexual service when having a drink. 12.9% of men said that they have bought sex when on business. 41.3% of all Koreans did not know that prostitution was illegal in Korea. Despite these outrageous numbers, prostitution has been illegal in Korea since 1961.



A common place that prostitution takes place in is Miari Texas Village (Also known as Miari Texas, Texas Village, Texas Miari, or just plain Miari.) an area in north-eastern Seoul, with over 250 prostitution houses. In these houses, liquor and food are served in the front and in the back, sex services take place in the back rooms. On average, a woman will see five to ten men a night. The women usually get paid 1.5 million won ($1, 340.00) monthly, along with 1,500 won ($14.00) for each client they see.

One very disturbing thing about Miari Texas is that 30% of about 1,000 prostitutes are under the age of eighteen. Even though prostitution is illegal, it is tolerated, if the women are over eighteen. Many...