The professional or the amateur?

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33442, 25 January 1974, Page 28

The professional or the amateur?

( Bi; a st ad reporter) While there appears to have been a slight increase in the number of prostitutes who openly plv their trade in Christchurch in recent months, they face strong competition from enthusiastic amateurs who are often housewives escaping from the boredom of their suburban lives or single girls living in Hats.

Recently one man was f propositioned twice with- ' in three weeks by young ] women in the vicinity of ( athedral Square. He expressed the view that j open soliciting had not heen common in the Square since the Depression. Social and welfare workers say that the problem is not as great as it is in Auckland or Wellington. A Christchurch profes sional man associated with the courts and welfare organisations said that he had no knowledge of direct prostitution although he had heard of cases, through his welfare work, of girls who worked on a casual basis. "Sometimes the girls live with a man for a few days or weeks, providing the necessary services such as domestic chores for free lodging and a meal ticket." he said. "I know groups of girls in flats who specialise in visiting hotels, where

they pick up males, who at (osir.g time return to the girls flats with expensive liquor. Money doesn’t change hands and the girls are perfectly satisfied with 1 the drinks and meals for their services." Married women Speaking of married women, the tnan said some; wives experimented outside marriage because they were not satisfied with their home i situation and were not sex-! nail’ satisfied by their hus- t bauds. "A common history ap-.i pears to be for the wife to go out with a female neigh-1 hour to social events and soon they are going out for drinks. Frequently they graduate from the local hotel to a city hotel,” he said. “There they meet egotripping males, the salesman who ; jsses himself off as a manager, the clerk '.ho ‘become'’ an executive and the

foreman who ‘becomes’ a company manager. “These men dress in the latest fashion and are big spenders. The beer or gin is replaced by the Harvey wallbanger, whisky sour, or the brandy Alexander, the standard being that it must cost at least a dollar. The women soon appreciate the men's ability to pay for expensive liquor and food. Some time may pass before adultery is committed but the wife soon, becomes convinced that her lot must be bettered.” he said. Boredom, the desire to experiment and general frus-i tration motivated the married woman, whereas with the single girl there wasi often the element of insecurity. She felt confused as to her own identity and sexuality and tried to escape into what she considered was a glamourous way of life, said the man. The law I.oitering and importuning by a common prostitute in a public place is a summary offence under section 46 of ♦ Fin fl f fan A of

the Police Offences Act. Under the 1927 Act a prostitute was liable to a fine not exceeding $2 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month. In 1965 the maximum fine was increased to $lOO but the prison term remains the same. A prostitute who behaves ! in a riotous or indecent ; manner in a public place is; liable to a fine not exceeding $lOO or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months. The term “Common prostitute’ is not limited to i women who permit sexual i intercourse but includesthose who permit lewdness in other forms, states the' late Sir Francis Adams in his book Criminal Law and' Piactice in New Zealand. It was prostitution if the woman participated in physical acts of indecency whether the role be passive or active. Prostitution was

proved if it was shown that | a woman offered her bodyj commonly for payment or! gain. Under the Crimes Act, 1961. any one who keeps, manages or assists in the management of a brothel is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years. The term brothel is defined as any house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind whatever used for the purpose of prostitution, whether by one woman or more. The same penalty applies to a person living on thej ’earnings of prostitution or who procures any woman or 1 girl to have sexual inter-: course with any male who is I not her husband. Very few women have been charged; with prostitution in Christ-j church in recent years. Magistrate’s Court officials cannot recall when such a charge was last laid. Girls) Who frequent ships are usually charged with being idle and disorderly in that they have insufficient lawful means of support.