Interviews with a sex worker and a pimp.

These interviews were conducted whilst making a short film about sex workers. However, the participants did not want the film to be available to the public in general, as they were worried it may compromise their identities. The interviews were originally conducted in Cantonese and then translated into English.

• Can you explain exactly what your job is?

 We organise the girls from China into Hong Kong and then arrange for them to work at the various facilities.

• How do you find the girls?

We usually contact the bosses of nightclubs and ask them to introduce some girls to us. The girls who work with us already also refer their friends to come to Hong Kong.

• Do you have a good relationship with the girls in your care?

Our relationship with the girls is like a partnership. The most important thing about this trade is the girls. We can’t survive without them. However, it’s not like a typical person says. They do not work for us. We’re just in a partnership. We work for money together.

• If the girls are unhappy what do you do?

Typically, we chat to them to understand the reasons why they are upset once they are here. Maybe the customers are rude. Because in the end, they (the sex workers) are still humans, they have feelings too. We do our best to understand what the problem is in hope that they will feel better.

• Many people would consider what you do to be bad- what would you say to them?

That is unfair to us. People the outside this trade may think we are using the girls to make money. Yet if the girls came here and there weren’t any of us, then they don’t have any way to work in the facilities. Actually, our working hours are longer than the typical person. During the day, we might have to arrange work for the girls. At night we have to meet with the bosses. It’s a lot of work.

• What is your relationship with the police like?

Our relationship with the police is quite conflicting. For the past few years, the police have really targeted us. Sometimes they can be quite overboard when they are here. For example after they have arrested all the girls, they might destroy our surveillance cameras or even pour mouthwash on the beds or water on the video camera.

• How can we improve the lives of sex workers in Hong Kong?

The current situation is very difficult. To be honest the police are right in doing their duties- but do they have to be so harsh? Currently the police may come every two or three days. It is like they arrest a girl for everyone that I find. If this continues in the long term, this trade in Hong Kong will eventually disappear. The only solution is if the police don’t target this trade too harshly. Maybe come once or twice a month; that will change the situation.

• Do you like your job, what is the money like and have you ever considered changing it?

I like it. Although this business is difficult, it brings me more income than average. I make less money now than compared to the past, but I still make enough to get by. I thought about changing careers because this trade has been targeted really badly in the last few years. Sometimes I think there is not much hope left for this trade. If one day I really think this business is no longer feasible, then I will switch fields.