Padlock-pants to prevent Prostitution

I found this story today which I thought was rather hilarious. Local government in an Indonesian East Java province have taken to requiring that masseuses to put a padlock on their pants to prevent them from offering "additional services". They report that this initiative has proved successful thus far.

Although this may “prevent” these masseuses from offering sexual intercourse, but there is still nothing to stop them from offering other services such as fellatio or ‘hand jobs’. I’m also sure that if the offering of such services are indeed as profitable as I think it is, there are many ways I can think of where they may be able to sidestep these laws – perhaps pants with a ‘trap-door’? Ok ok, my imagination is getting a little out of control... LOL! (com’on.. its late at night.. *looking sheepishly*)..

I realise I have not been updating this blog for the last 4 months. I guess its a glaring testament to my ill discipline (I’ve never had the habit of keeping a dairy). Perhaps, it is also indicative of the fact that I have not been reading much of the news – as I’m no longer required to do media monitoring for work – and of course, reading the Today paper or New Paper doesn’t provide very much noteworthy stuff to write about (no offence to the Today paper, New Paper, or anyone who regularly reads them!).

Tonight, I decided to have a quick look at AsiaOne and ChannelNewsAsia websites and found something interesting – so let’s talk about sex.

It seems South Aussie Independent MP Ann Bressington has caused a little stir in the Aussie Parliament recently when she suggested the concept of the “sex contract” be introduced and recognised in the land of Oz. This concept is however not a new one, I have come across it in a news report from the US (no less) a few months ago. It is apparently already in circulation there, used by celebrities and prominent business people (people who are most vulnerable to the accusation of rape).

Under such a contract, a woman would, prior to engaging in sexual activities, indicate the nature and extent of sexual activity she is consenting to. The rationale is one that is presumably for the protection of men.

Of course this suggestion has its fair share of critics, who would argue that it goes against human dignity (presumably for the woman), and reduces sex to a mere commercial transaction. It certainly goes against the legal concept of consent and rape – that the woman is able to withdraw her consent at anytime during sexual intercourse – for it seems that consent under such an arrangement is irrevocable. One also wonders whether a woman could be sued for breach of such a contract.

On the one hand, as a guy, I do feel that current rape laws are unsatisfactory. After all, what is a man to do so as to safeguard himself from such risks? The suggestion that one of my law professors made (in year 1 of law school) of asking the lady at the offset the nature and extent of her consent before any sexual interaction sounds like a major mood-killer. Furthermore, it isn’t likely to help much, since the lady could withdraw her consent at any time during the act. In addition, there is always the possibility of the lady “crying wolf”. Certainly something has to be done to address these problems, but is the sex contract really the answer? I hope not...

In another article today, a woman in Malaysia is suing her husband for lost of her virginity and a breach of the marriage “contract”. She claims that they had had sex on his promise to marry her. Shortly after their “first time” together, their marriage was registered. However, because of parental objection (his), they did not go through with the ceremonial wedding. The woman further claims that her parents-in-law have been pressuring their son to divorce her. She is claiming RM3 million in damages for misrepresentation.

I have come across an obscure case (eons ago) in which a woman sued her fiancé for breach of engagement contract (as it was regarded then), but this is certainly a “first” in modern times. I hope there’ll be updates on this case, I’d be very interested in the outcome. LOL!