Escort Girls In Japan To Get Financial Support Amid Coronavirus Crisis

There is no doubt that the coronavirus crisis is stretching its shadow to every corner of the world. As people have stopped going out and making social contact, the service industry and service providers become the most vulnerable amid the pandemic. The same situation happens to Kaori, a Japanese worker who provides a special service - sex. In fact, the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown have pushed escort girls in Japan to the wall as their customers started to run out, so do their money. 

Escort girls in japan are struggling amid the crisis

For those who are living hands to mouth like Kaori, the only way to survive through this challenging time is to borrow money. It’s impossible to get another job amid the crisis. With a small amount of money, the young girl cannot afford both the monthly rent and necessities, not to mention the debt she has just taken on. 

As the whole of Japan is having a hard time amid the pandemic with more than 10,780 confirmed cases and 238 deaths, many regions have been put under lockdown with services closed and people were asked to stay inside their household. This poses a huge problem to workers of the lower class including sex workers.

While ‘delivery health’ workers are mostly 'call girls' who promoting themselves via handouts, mailboxes, and phonecalls; ‘fashion health’ workers work in ‘health clubs’ which look like massage parlors but offer their customers with oral sex. In addition to that, other forms of sexual service including soaplands, where customers can take a bath and have sex at the same time; pink salons and image clubs which are the varied versions of fashion health. 

Except for prostitution, other forms of sex work are considered to be legal in Japan. Indeed, the country has one of the biggest sex industries of the world which generates Rs 1.8 lakh crore each year. Two of the largest sections of the industry are ‘delivery health’ with ‘health’ referring to sexual services.

The controversy around the financial aid for sex workers

With the aim of stimulating the economy amid the coronavirus crisis, the government came to a decision of filing a whopping 108-trillion-Japanese yen package (Rs 75,9 lakh crore). In fact, sex workers who have been under the social stigma for decades are now able to apply for financial support. However, the government didn’t provide clear instructions on how to get it.

In fact, the government's proposed relief package excluded those sex workers like Kaori at first which faced a huge protest from activists who call it an act of ‘occupational discrimination’. According to Japanese advocacy organization Sex Work And Sexual Health (SWASH), just like other workers, those sex workers provide legal service so they and their children should be protected amid the economic blow.

Meanwhile, social conservative including public figures are against the idea of using taxation on sex workers. Amid the controversy, the government came to the decision that sex work will also be included. 

However, according to Kaori, the government hasn’t given any clear instructions on who is qualified for financial aid and how to get it. Another arising problem is they cannot provide proof of their income as well as financial loss due to the pandemic, which is a required criterion to receive the money. In fact, most sex workers in Japan do not want the public their occupation due to the social stigma and the feeling of embarrassment. 

While waiting for the government to issue the final terms of the relief package, escort girls in Japan like Kaori are still struggling to make ends meet amid the pandemic which shows no sign to end.