Oh, for F**k’s Sake: Not Another Do-Gooder Congressman Out to Rid the USFK of Juicy Girls
Normally, I actually like Chris Smith, but it’s just plain dumb to go after U.S. service members who, while thousands of miles from home, pursue (a) human nature, and (b) a form of commerce that’s more-or-less openly available to 23 million South Korean men around them:
A bill to create a director of global anti-human trafficking policies in the Department of Defense was introduced Thursday in an effort to better monitor the way the military deals with South Korean “juicy bars” that cater to American troops and have often been linked to prostitution.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., drafted the bill to create the assistant secretary-level position. The office would “investigate links between trafficking in persons and … members of the Armed Forces and contractors of the department,” according to a copy of the bill Smith’s staff e-mailed to Stars and Stripes. [Stars & Stripes]
First, a point of order: juicy girls aren’t necessarily prostitutes. They are employees of “juicy bars” who charge customers, in some places U.S. military personnel, for the privilege of buying them overpriced drinks (usually colored water or juice) while cuddling with the girls or feeling them up. Some sell sex, some sell it to selected customers only, and some don’t sell it at all. (Hey, a defense attorney has to know these things! This is essential professional knowledge, people!)
And sorry, but with a few isolated exceptions, I simply don’t believe that most “juicy girls” were plying their trades involuntarily (if not always enthusiastically, but that’s not the same thing). If there really is a human trafficking problem in South Korea, just how effective can USFK really be in enforcing the laws against it if the South Korean cops — some of who stations were directly adjacent to some of Seoul’s most notorious red light districts until very recently — won’t?
Or perhaps you’d rather have them all hanging out in Hongdae?
What gives this idea legs (!) is its appeal to a number of constituencies that don’t usually agree on much: religious nannies, feminist nannies, and Koreans of both genders who, for various reasons, can’t stand the idea of American soldiers getting laid in a country that happens to have a multi-billion dollar sex industry that is both illegal and mostly tolerated. And frankly, in a society where prostitution still has broad social acceptance and patronage, wouldn’t it be wiser to legalize and regulate it? I know, you’re going to compare it to the drug thing now, which I’d still argue is not widely accepted and more destructive than a natural bodily function with the added fact that money changes hands, though I personally disapprove if one of the persons is married or carries an STD (so regulate it!).
Sure, juicy girls are a waste of money, money that usually just pays for a lot of frustration and gets a lot of soldiers Article 15’s for bouncing checks. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve talked soldiers out of marrying juicy girls as an Army defense attorney. But then, if keeping soldiers from getting screwed — financially speaking — was our primary concern, why not start by shutting down the casino at Walker Hill and taking the slot machines out of the on-post MWR facilities?
Some day I’d like to write a paper on South Korea’s sex industry.
It is essentially illegal but highly regulated. This paradox comes simply from the fact that the government and many citizens believe a sex industry practicing in the open (up to a point) is better than one running underground, but no one wants to commit political suicide by actually going and legalizing this already regulated institution.
As for me, as long as they keep underage girls out of it and try to prevent involuntary participation, I’m not so sure I have a problem with it. It seems to be the least worst situation for an imperfect world.
NO woman EVER wants to be a prostitute and they usually come from very abusive families. They have incredibly low self esteems and think their only self worth is in selling their bodies.
Over time a woman hardens her heart to her real dreams.
Here’s a website with individual ex-sex workers stories:
http://www.iamatreasure.com/index2.html
Don’t be fooled into thinking that just because a woman appears to consent to prostitution that it’s okay to treat her like an object.
These women are all daughters to someone.
Do you have a daughter? Surely your dreams for her are to not end up a prostitute.
I think a lot of the allegations/controversy about human trafficking surrounding juicy girls in South Korea stems from many of them really being undocumented Filipino immigrants.
I am surprised that you as a lawyer and a former Army SJA take such a soft stance on human trafficking. Juicy girls are NOT employees and do NOT control their own destinies. They are prostitutes and worse yet, cannot move freely around the country as long as their
bar ownerspimps hold their passports.I don’t take a soft line on human trafficking, I take a soft line on commercial transactions between consenting, unmarried adults. If you read the post carefully, my point is that I don’t believe that most juicy girls *are* trafficked, and that without a fundamental commitment by the South Korean police to enforce the law, cracking down on the juicy trade is only going to drive business to even seedier bidness models.
Excuse me, but what the hell kind of question is that to ask someone?
I agree with Joshua that not all juicy girls are victims of trafficking. However, if there may be some elements of coercion there, it may be worth investigating.
However, I’m not sure if you can unqualifiedly categorize post-juicy coitus as “commercial transactions between consenting, unmarried [or married] adults.” If there is a connection between juicy bars and coerced sex trafficking, then it may be worth investigating. Even if there isn’t, the commercial transaction is still considered to be a severe from of trafficking.
This kind of activity is very common and very easy to find information about online. Judge for yourselves whether it is human trafficking or not.
There are also Russian and Eastern European girls trapped in this slave trade. USFK Soldiers are put on duty called “courtesy patrol” to make the rounds of these dives to ensure USFK personnel are not getting into fights or are too drunk to get back to the base. Pretty unsavory business, especially as military ambassadors for the USA.
What’s this? A Conservative wants to do something about the sex trade, and not engage in it (Rush Limbaugh)? Wow, someone’s been eating their Wheaties recently. Go for it, Mr. Smith- be the one Conservative that’s not a total scumbag (Boener) or a moron (Palin) or asshole (Cheney and Cornyn) or flip-flopper (McCain) or pervert (Vitter).
On a more serious note, while it does seem a little nanny-statish to involve US resources going after legitimate juicy bars, if we can help the locals bust up a human trafficking ring, then it should improve USFK’s image a little bit and help in the fight against this barbaric institution.
Do you have a daughter? Surely your dreams for her are to not end up a prostitute.
Excuse me, but what the hell kind of question is that to ask someone?
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It’s a question that I ask in general to people who think it’s okay to “pursue human nature” by legalizing prostitution.
Do you think it’s okay to legalize prostitution?
I am concerned about the casual attitude towards women selling themselves.
AgentX, there are scumbags on both sides of the aisle, simply because they are people. Gloating will only bring bad karma onto your side.
they are all whores. That are trying to screw their way to the US. my husband is there right now and so far 2 of his friend have knocked up the girls..protection or not, they stick little holes thru the condoms before they put them on, its the oldest trick in the book. They could careless if the airman is married. they have gone as far as to email and give me information regarding what my husband and his friends are up to. These women run in packs, The juicy bars should be off limits to all military personal and the bases should have early curfews.. Open a bar on base for the men and women, if they need to get drunk let them do it on base and not in a club of women who are nothing more than trash that needs to taken out. there is a difference between a lady of the night verse a korean juicy. ladies of the night no what their job is the provided a service and move on no string attached no B.S. Juicys are liars and snake like scum that are just trying to come to the US on the tails of our military men, by getting knock up..
(sigh) Yes most juicy girls try to use soldiers to go to America. They are human though, caught in a bad situation that they see only one way out of. Alot of the girls work for there families back home because they make more money working in the bars then they ever could back in the Philipines. They are people there is always good people and bad people wherever you go. Korea is no different so please don’t stereotype these women. Focus on the contractors not contractees, thats where the problem is.