The Torn Lotus

Posted on October 22, 2018 by the Editor

By Tarini Tilve. Tarini is a young writer from Singapore and is a student at Singapore Polytechnic. Please read her article and leave your thoughts and comments below. *Winner of the NUHA Youth Blogging Prize 2018*

Her eyes haunted me. Black mirrors reflecting my horror and guilt back at me. She was expressionless as a woman fixed her jewellery and clothes every now and then. She had the look of someone whose body was in the present but not her mind or spirit. Like a hollow shell. When Carlos told me my trip to Vietnam wouldn’t be complete without one last experience, I expected rare, historical jewellery and costumes. I did not expect a girl wearing traditional ethnic clothes in a dingy warehouse. A lotus tucked behind her ear.

 Child sex tourism. A bitter truth that lurks against the backdrop of a bustling city. No one actively thinks of being exploited or seeing an act of exploitation and yet that is exactly what happened to me. Child sex tourism is the act of sexual exploitation of children by a person or persons who travel from their home district or home country in order to have sexual relations with children. There is no denying that exploiting children is a problem, however something that is commonly ignored is the racial disparity surrounding it. Individuals of colour are often targeted disproportionately in the sex tourism industry.

Asian countries, specifically South Asian countries, have been in the sex tourism industry for a long time. A report by ECPAT on the exploitation of children revealed that while traditional tourism destinations such as Thailand and the Philippines continue to pose a threat to children, due to cheap travel and accommodation options, other countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam have become popular hotspots for child sex offenders. Countries like Vietnam have also seen child sex tourism on the rise, with the most frequent age of child prostitutes being fourteen or fifteen. In fact, UNICEF has noted that the, “entry age for children in sex tourism in Vietnam has decreased over the last few years.” That was exactly what I witnessed on my own trip to Vietnam.

Carlos leaned towards me, his hot breath hitting my skin. He pointed to the woman next to the little girl and told me that if I was interested, we could buy from her. After all, he chuckled, why else do you come to Vietnam from America?

 Research from many human rights organisations has shown that most child sex tourists are white, heterosexual males. The reason for this could be the practice of exoticization. White people often term people of colour as “exotic” as they are different from the white, western beauty standard. The divergence from what is considered standard beauty becomes the factor that defines people of colour, therefore dehumanising them by ignoring every other trait or characteristic that is unique to them.

My mind flashed back to all the times back home where Carlos had joked about the women here. The lewd comments he made on what the women were willing to do to keep “us men” happy. He later jokingly added that the women were nothing like the ones back home and I had to experience it to believe it. I have always remembered Carlos being really attracted to Asian women. Back in America, he would only date Asian women and when his relationships failed, he would always say the women were “too Americanised”. After his maiden trip to Vietnam five years ago, he had come back bragging about how he had hit the jackpot. After that, he went back every year but never came back with clear details of what he did during his stay.

 I see now that Carlos’s mentality promotes the idea that people of colour are objects that should be experienced. It is especially harmful to children since they become the easiest way to “experience the exoticness”. An additional factor for people who come to these countries for this purpose is that these children are more easily accessible than in their own countries. A reason for this could be that developing countries have a harder time regulating and persecuting people who take advantage of children as many of them operate on the street or in bars which makes them harder to find. Law enforcement in developing countries is also weaker, which means that exploitation is rampant. This leaves children easily accessible to predatory advances.

The exoticization of children of colour can be attributed to the perpetual use of stereotypes surrounding different races. The stereotype of Asian females as submissive and sexually desirable attracts men with very specific ‘racialized’ sexual fantasies that can be easily projected onto children. Furthermore, showing Asian girls as more “wanton” predisposes them to being objectified. All of this puts children in a vulnerable state as they cannot protect themselves. They become the easiest way to experience these fantasies and this leads to racialised commodification, which defines these children of color as sexual objects with no autonomous self. They need not be consulted before imposing a demand for sex; sex becomes equal to a consumable good.

I was hauled out of memory lane and thrust back into the present. In that warehouse. I had seen and heard too much. I stumbled back, mumbling incoherently. I told Carlos that I just remembered leaving my wallet behind at the hawker centre nearby. Carlos narrowed his eyes at me. He knew I was lying and yet he did not call me out. He just shook his head. His eyes accusing me of being a coward. He turned around and walked towards the lady standing next to the little girl, a smile etched on his face. I turned around and left the brothel, increasing my pace till I reached the busy main street. The aroma wafting from the street hawkers comforted me. I slumped down near one and ordered a drink. And then there I sat, under the night sky, nursing my drink. I tried to fool myself into thinking I had never seen that place. Yet every now and then I closed my eyes and there she would be. Her eyes, in the darkness of the warehouse, searing into mine.

 

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86 comments on “The Torn Lotus”

  5. Anita on

    Great piece with a great thought behind it! Can’t wait to see more of this incredible work in the coming years. All the best and Keep it up! Proud of you

    Reply
  6. Tanvi Tilve on

    Great piece of work here and the author tackles an important issue in a sensitive manner. Look forward to reading more of your work Tarini.

    Reply
  11. Surinder Makhija on

    What a brilliant write up on such a sensitive subject by a young school going writer. This is the most horrible act of the civilized world.
    Well done Tarini. I salute your vocabulary potentiality.

    Reply
  12. T. Duraimanickam on

    Great effort and good initiative. It is thought provoking and well written article. Joint effort from all the countries are needed to stop child trafficking and child sex tourism. Keep writing good topics like this. All the best.

    Reply
  13. Just Another Person on

    A truly riveting and heart-rending article. A great piece on an important social problem facing the world. I hope you continue writing, because I feel I’m going to immensely enjoy whatever you put out there.

    Reply
  16. Archie Baghwala on

    This is a subject of great concern, wish I could do anything in my own little capacity to change it for the better, child trafficking and prostitution is unthinkable.

    Reply
  18. Swati on

    Brilliantly executed. Makes you visualise the incident like you were really there. Definitely does not seem like a 16 something year old’s thoughts. Well done tarini, proud of you…

    Reply
  21. Madhura on

    Wow this is so amazing, it’s great to see someone shed light on topics that are not always talking about. The writing is so great and I loved the unique way this piece was written.

    Reply
  22. Arun Kamat on

    Excellent thought provoking literary piece. The subject is taboo in most developing countries and authors like you can really use your intellect to make it visible globally.
    Keep writing and look forward to much more from you.

    Reply
  28. Renu Tilve on

    A sensitive social issue penned by a young writer so powerfully is really commendable .More power to you and your pen Tarini,keep up the good work

    Reply
  31. Krishna on

    Very well captured article on some of the key issues challenging both developing as well as developed nations. Keep up the good work

    Reply
  34. Chitra Raju on

    Hi..Tarini..very well written..all the best my dear..the topic chosen by you is really a very hard hitting reality n needs to be curbed..

    Reply
  38. Shrikant Ahirrao on

    Facets of negativity well exposed. Very fluent depiction. Captivating style of writing with appropriate breaks in story and analysis.. keep it up Tarini!

    Reply
  43. Kiran Arora on

    Great going tarini…I like the way you started and ended the story. Very well blend of intensity of your thoughts from beginning to end. The beginning itself arouses one’s curiosity to know more. I wish you all the best.

    Reply
  46. Kapila on

    Great read. A young budding writer in the making. Tarini must have researched a lot before writing this piece.
    My compliments and wishing you the very best. Your journey has begun, don’t look back.

    Kapila

    Reply
  48. Sujata Bhatia on

    Brilliant writing Tarini !!! You have hit the nail with this one. Waiting to read more. For a young writer that you are, maturity in your thoughts and words clearly reflects excellence. God Bless you.

    Reply
  50. Sukhada Ghanekar on

    Important n sensitive social issue put up bravely. Great write up, thought provoking. All the best Tarini , keep up the good work.

    Reply
  52. Rezyl on

    This is really brilliant. I can’t believe I read it all.

    I feel so overwhelmed with different emotions.
    It’s true especially in the major cities here in my country. Child exploitation must be stop.

    Reply
  56. Jyoti on

    Fantastic and thought provoking write up!! Very well written Tarini
    Keep writing, looking forward to much more from you!
    With love

    Reply
  61. Stephen Garretson on

    This topic makes me so sad. It is encouraging that many improvements are being made with several law enforcement agencies however. These people are always in my prayers.

    Reply
  67. Adv Vaishali Chhabriya on

    Great efforts dear…emotions duly crafted from this writeup…a perfect combination of information,awareness and emotions..good…beat luck

    Reply
  68. Adv Vaishali Chhabriya on

    Great efforts dear…emotions duly crafted from this writeup…a perfect combination of information,awareness and emotions..good…best luck

    Reply
  76. Vivian on

    Have to say that I am impressed how captivating this article is. This topic had been neglected or shunned away for years and this short but vivid story weaves in information on child sex tourism and the storyline seamlessly.

    Reply
  78. Trinity on

    Fantastic writing.
    Emotional, captivating and informative while being succinct in it’s points and clear in it’s intention.
    Moving and impactful, this article addresses a very heavy topic in a fluent and heart wrenching way. A strong call to action, I firmly believe this piece delivers it’s message of protecting children from sex trafficking in a poignant manner.

    Reply
  82. Makarand Adarkar on

    It’s a crucial issue for developing south east Asian countries. It deals with child welfare and social instability. You’ve written it so well that it narrates incidence. At your age, the maturity exhibited, is truly appreciable. Keep it up, Tarini !!👍

    Reply

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