Sex rooms set up at bars - Owners facilitate women who want to ‘work’

Nothing is new about the fact that men like to go to bars. Whether it is to get away from their problems or just to hang out with the ‘fellas’, a night of drinking isn’t unusual for some men.

Some bar owners in the Corporate Area have been capitalising on this by setting up small sex rooms at their business places to accommodate women who offer sexual services.

One bar owner, who did not want to be named, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he recently built a room at the back of his bar to facilitate the women who wish to ‘work’. In exchange for the use of the facility, he gets a percentage of their earnings.

“People know seh a woman mek man come a bar, and in some cases, a di woman dem tek care a the man dem. We give them a place to do them thing, and we tek a piece. Mi settle for a five per cent, depending on how much dem work that night,” the man said.

While he acknowledges that the women are engaging in prostitution, which is illegal in Jamaica, he said that the females are merely earning an income.

“You would be surprised the type people that come here to get their regular ‘workout’. These women have children, who they need to send to school, and they are getting the clients. Instead of going to a corner to do something, they have a clean bed and a shower to clean up themselves after,” he said.

A bar attendant from another establishment said that she believes the Government needs to regularise prostitution because everyone benefits from it.

“A long time people a put on room pon bar fi dem thing yah. Business owners a benefit, the woman dem a benefit and the man dem a benefit because if there wasn’t a demand, the women dem wouldn’t have no service to provide,” she said.

She said that the room was added to the bar she currently works at about a year ago, and the clients have been coming in. She said that the ‘extra’ service is not openly advertised because they do not want to be caught.

“Wi always have people a come in, enuh, but more man a come in. The men dem weh know how the thing stay just indicate to me, and mi link one a the girl dem, and dem sort out a thing. Dem pay me and pay the girl differently. So, it’s a win-win for the owner and the girl dem,” she said.

One woman, who often offers sexual services at bars, said that she was introduced to prostitution by one of her friends. And so far, she has no regrets.

“People will condemn wi, but regular nine-to-five nah work. Mi have three children, and dem fadda nah tek care a dem, so mi a hold my own. The money weh mi a mek is good, so mi nah go stop dweet,” she said.