Published in the commentary section of the
regional internet newspaper Caribbean
News Now on 12 January: http://wp.caribbeannewsnow.com/2018/01/12/commentary-brothel-keeping-anguilla/
Prostitution
is notoriously the world’s oldest profession.
Prostitution is not illegal in Anguilla.
No law is broken if sex is exchanged for money or goods. It might be immoral, but no crime is
committed when sex is paid for.
What are illegal are the two offences of
keeping a brothel and living off immoral earnings. These carry severe penalties in Anguilla. Pimps and brothel keepers are serious
criminals. They live off the earnings of
sex workers. That is the essence of the
offence.
Brothels have operated openly in Anguilla for
decades. The first and most notorious known
to me was opposite the Tyre Shop in George Hill. It started, I believe, in the 1980s. Its Madame was my client. Many years ago, she asked my legal advice on
how to evict one of her “tenants”. These
were nationals of Santo Domingo. They
were desperately trying to better their condition. They did what they had to do to send money
back home for the support of their families.
I tried to give her the most humane advice possible within the law. Her business continued uninterrupted for a
very long time. I assume she operated
under the eye of the police. There was
nothing secret about her operation, and she was never shut down.
Over the past five years, things have changed
in Anguilla, particularly the nationality of the most favoured prostitutes. Venezuelans are now outcompeting Santo
Domingans. A large number of so-called
“Sports Bars” have begun to operate in all the villages. The industry is growing fast. Sometimes, it seems that every other house in
South Hill is rented out to a brothel keeper.
In some of them, there are scantily clad young Venezuelan women sitting
at the bar. There are bedrooms in the
back available to rent. These establishments
serve food and alcoholic beverages. If
you drive past them at night, they appear to be doing a thriving business.
In the year 2016, photographer Belinda
Soncini visited Anguilla. The result of
her visit was a photo blog. She posted
it on the Social Documentary Network. It
is available to be viewed here: https://www.socialdocumentary.net/exhibit/Belinda_Soncini/4145. She calls it “Desperate Women: Venezuela’s Latest Export.” In her words,
This project documents the
lives of women from my country, Venezuela, who were forced to migrate to the
Caribbean to sell their bodies to feed and buy medicines for their
families. These women were professionals
with good jobs, but the economic crisis in Venezuela left them no other
choice. They live isolated, fearing
being judged, exposed to countless perils, sacrificing their lives to provide
for their families. They say they will
keep doing this until their bodies can’t take it anymore.
This is a very sensitive photo blog, as you
would expect. The faces of the women are
not shown in the photographs. Her main
concern was to reveal the miserable lives her compatriots were forced to endure
in Anguilla for the sake of their families they left behind, not to embarrass
or shame them.
My main concern is different. I question how did we in Anguilla come to
this sad state? For decade after decade we
permitted the exploitation of vulnerable foreign women by Anguillian
entrepreneurs. A little research reveals
that, though the photo blog was published in the year 2016, the exploitation of
foreign girls and women in Anguillian brothels continues today. The whole Anguillian community knows about it. Yet, no one speaks out against this form of
human trafficking.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force know about it. They occasionally, from what I am told, pick
up a low-level pimp. No criminal convictions
in court for keeping a brothel have been publicised or are known to me.
The Immigration Department know about it. They occasionally deport a few of the
women. But, this hardly stems the flow
of replacement sex workers that they permit entry into Anguilla.
There seems to be no cooperation between the
various government agencies that are supposed to take care of our health and
welfare. Restaurant licences continue to
be issued to brothels. Applications by
them for renewal of liquor licences go unopposed by the police at the regular
six-monthly court hearings. It is
uncertain if any officer of the Labour Department visits to inquire about foreigners
working in bars and restaurants without permits.
At a recent meeting of the House of Assembly,
Pam Webster, the Leader of the Opposition attempted to raise the issue. She was shouted down with calls that “This is not the right place.” So, where is the right place to raise the
issue?
I have decided to raise it in the newspapers. My letter to the editor was published in the
issue of The Anguillian Newspaper of Friday 12 January. It reads:
Anguilla’s Latest Addition to her Tourism Product
Anguilla’s latest
tourism venture is beginning to attract international attention, as the above
webpage shows. However, some persons in
Anguilla find this development disturbing.
Questions are
being asked, such as:
Why are we not
taking care of our vulnerable populations?
Why haven’t those
with the power to end this situation taken action?
Why aren’t there
coordinated efforts to stop this?
Why do those in
authority refuse to take action and/or ignore this situation?
Why do we not
speak out when these things are literally happening in our backyards?
Why haven’t those
in power shut down these establishments?
Why hasn’t a
coordinated effort been implemented among the elected government officials,
Immigration, Labour, the Police, and others?
Why haven’t we
seriously noticed that human trafficking is happening right here in many ways,
and this is only one of them?
Keeping a house of
prostitution and living on immoral earnings are serious offences.
Why do we not
charge and prosecute those bringing in these women and those using their
services?
We must treat
criminals as such, and seek help for those being exploited.
What is the cause
of our apparent lack of understanding of what is happening here?
Why do we show
such a lack of courage, boldness and tenacity to address this evil and to end
it?
Why are we not
grieved to our cores?
It is going to be interesting to see who
responds. Will there be any stirring of
conscience among the smug and self-satisfied church and state officials? Or, will they all shrug and say, “No need to respond. It is just another 7-day wonder. The story will soon go away, as it always
does.”
Another and different letter to the Editor on
the topic was published in the Daily Herald of St Maarten on Wednesday 9
January 2018. This is what it said:
Meet Anguilla’s Latest Addition to her Tourism Plant
Anguilla’s new
tourism product is beginning to attract international attention, as shown by
the above webpage.
Looking for ideas on economic diversification, the Anguillian
business community has struck on an exciting new way forward. Their solution has met with near universal
approval.
It appears that, with a reputation for 5-star accommodation, the
previous houses of recreation for men are being upgraded. The now 40-year old Santo Domingan product
has long been in need of sprucing up.
Plant has been repainted and decorated since the passage of Hurricane
Irma. The staff is being re-trained in
the latest customer service techniques.
A bright future for this industry is anticipated.
There is official approval for this development. The ever-courteous Anguillian police officers
and immigration officials clear the way of all obstacles, even falling over on
their backs to help participants to find their new positions.
The Christian Anguillian community are anxious to encourage
participation. It keeps the men busy and
out of mischief, social workers say.
Wives are happy to get the men out of the house, for an inexpensive
night out, sampling the delicacies on offer.
Politicians hold town-hall type meetings at these venues. After all, it is where most of their male
constituents are to be found after work.
Celia’s and Anna Maria’s are ever popular, though less so now that
the under-16 year olds have been discouraged.
Off-duty police officers observe the comings and goings from the porch,
making sure the peace is kept.
There is a move underway for this latest addition to Anguilla’s
tourism plant to apply for associate membership in the Anguilla Hotel and
Tourism Association, stagnant for some years now.
The Chamber of Industry and commerce is always seeking to gain new
members, and this area of growing economic activity is bound to be a boost for
the Chamber.
The only negative comes from some Ministers of Religion who respond,
“Well, at least they are not our girls.”
But, these are mere spoil-sports whose stock in trade is criticism, no
matter how healthy and natural the topic of their condemnation. We can be sure their views will be safely
ignored.
Next week, look forward to a critical assessment of the choice of
commodities available at the Drug House of South Hill, yet another of
Anguilla’s emerging new industries.
The Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association
and the Chamber of Commerce are, no doubt, going to be upset. I make a preposterous and incredible
suggestion that the illegal brothels are considering applying for membership. Social workers and ministers of government
will be highly offended that I highlight their inaction. Police and Immigration Officers will be
outraged that I jokingly suggest their incompetence.
My hope is that the whole of Anguillian
society will be outraged, but outraged for the right reason. I hope they will raise their voices in
protest at this exploding form of human exploitation in Anguilla. This is how public opinion is expressed. Public opinion, when mobilised, is the most
effective way of achieving social change and reform. Keeping quiet does the opposite.
Maybe, this time the result of all this
“taking offence” will be some action. Search
warrants can be obtained on the grounds of reasonable suspicion. Nightly raids on one after the other of these
illegal operations will soon have an effect.
With the evidence collected, a few lengthy jail sentences can be
expected. It won’t take long to shut
them down.
Refusing their licences, searching their
premises, collecting the evidence, prosecuting them, convicting them, locking
them up, and closing them down are unlikely to happen unless civil society
begins to make noise. Without public
agitation, too many persons are making money out of this lucrative business for
our officials to risk offending the participants.
We shall see what happens.
