The trafficking of women and children worldwide is now known to be a larger and more widespread business than the drug trade.
The article 'Seeing red over directory's blue tone' (Sunday Morning Post, February 8), on the PCCW's new 2004 Yellow Pages, is proof of this. This telephone directory has 44 pages showing semi-naked women (and a handful of men) under the headings 'Escorts' and 'Massages.' One ad in 'Massages' has only text, which reads: 'EURO-GEMS - specialising in western beauties from all over the world. Satisfying experience. When quality is essential to a special clientele.'
A PCCW official's callous remark, when told about a protest by a women's group that this is out-and-out prostitution, showed that selling women's bodies in a telephone directory is considered perfectly normal. This really is a jaded world when an Asian city thinks it is fine to sell both Asian and western women as products to consumers euphemistically called 'clientele'.
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