PKBI, lesehan, and sex workers

I met a cool girl at the VIA summer alumni dinner last night. She works with Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia (PKBI), the Indonesian Planned Parenthood, and is part of the Youth Group committee that seeks to engage with disadvantaged youth in Yogyakarta. I learned a lot from her through conversation, particularly about where youth tend to hang out (alun-alun selatan and Magelang) and how youth groups have established their own communities. There are many who are homeless and make money by busking (ngamen). I should mention here that the Indonesian word ngamen, for busking, has a different connotation. While in the US busking usually means staying in one spot and playing instruments/singing, busking here means walking around to different groups of people.  Sometimes the musicians will wander from restaurant to restaurant.  At night, they will walk to different groups that are sitting outside lesehan-style, that is, on the ground, on mats.   Here is an example of lesehan, although this particular establishment in Bukit Bintang (Bintang Hill) is sheltered.

VIA fellows + friend (Zaky) at a warung in Bukit Bintang

We also talked about the sex worker trends in Jogja. Talking with PKBI in the past, I've learned a pretty significant contrast between how prostitution is viewed in Seattle (as well as many parts of the US) and prostitution in Jogja. In Seattle, a lot of the research suggests that many women are not in it by choice per se, but rather are targeted for their vulnerabilities.  Pimps are often involved.  Some women fall madly in love with their pimps, making it even harder to leave the industry.  Here, the research suggests that most sex workers are in it by choice. So rather than try to outlaw and prevent the means of prostitution, PKBI seeks to ensure that sex workers are sexually educated and safe. That's about all I know, though.  I've been meaning to learn more about sex workers in Jogja, and I'm hoping that my next year here will allow me to do that.