1,000 prostitutes spook Sosua?s tourism

[Castle]

I have trouble following your logic. Are you saying that the citizens and elected leaders don't have the right to decide whether they want their community to continue to be a destination for sex tourists? To be a meca for prostitutes from all over the country, and beyond?

If so, I certainly could not agree with that. Perhaps I am old fashioned, but I still believe the people who live in a community have the right to make decisions about the future of their community and that this is a "right" not an "illusion". This applies to all communities in any country, not just to Sosua.

I also believe that those foreign to the community who do not like the change should seek sex elsewhere rather than as a previous poster stated, that the long-time citizens of a community who did not like living in a sex tourist destination should pack up and move.

What I meant is, people have the right to decide. However, that decision cannot be carried out if the conditions do not exist for it to be done. Prostitution took over Sosua because regular tourism wasn't doing that well, and hotels and restaurant owners probably had no choice but to put up with prostitution in order to survive. I think we can agree that nobody wants to live or vacation in a place full of hookers, maybe not even the hookers themselves, but a handful of factors caused the situation to be what it is.
You can't, of course, prohibit prostitution because Sosua is not a country in itself, but part of the Dominican Republic where prostitution is legal. So local people or leaders cannot prohibit it under the current law. You could try to harass business owners who live off prostitutes, but if you do that hookers will just take to the streets. And as I said, even if people of Sosua could eliminate prostitution, I don't think many tourists will go there, and never as many as now. I don't know Sosua very well, and there's a reason for it: I have driven by it twice, entered town, looked at the beach and said "Next!". So, if people of Sosua succeed in driving away prostitutes, I think in a few months they will have to migrate themselves. And then nobody would have won.

That doesn't mean there is no solution to the situation, but I think it certainly depends on many factors that escape the scope of action of the nice people of Sosua.

 

[Ken]

So, prostitution is legal in the DR. The solution is to harass the people who are considered to be prostitutes until they leave? What makes Sosua any different from every other city or town in the DR? It exists in every town in the country, is there just too much in Sosua?

Yes, there are now too many prostitutes.

I have never said that I expected prostitution to be completely eliminated in Sosua. I recognize it exists in every community and it would be foolish to think that will not continue to be true in Sosua or anywhere else.

I've been living in the DR since 1986 and in Sosua since 1999. There have been prostitutes wherever I have been, but only in the last few years has it been in your face like it is now in Sosua.

 

[Ken]

What I meant is, people have the right to decide. However, that decision cannot be carried out if the conditions do not exist for it to be done. Prostitution took over Sosua because regular tourism wasn't doing that well, and hotels and restaurant owners probably had no choice but to put up with prostitution in order to survive. I think we can agree that nobody wants to live or vacation in a place full of hookers, maybe not even the hookers themselves, but a handful of factors caused the situation to be what it is.
You can't, of course, prohibit prostitution because Sosua is not a country in itself, but part of the Dominican Republic where prostitution is legal. So local people or leaders cannot prohibit it under the current law. You could try to harass business owners who live off prostitutes, but if you do that hookers will just take to the streets. And as I said, even if people of Sosua could eliminate prostitution, I don't think many tourists will go there, and never as many as now. I don't know Sosua very well, and there's a reason for it: I have driven by it twice, entered town, looked at the beach and said "Next!". So, if people of Sosua succeed in driving away prostitutes, I think in a few months they will have to migrate themselves. And then nobody would have won.

That doesn't mean there is no solution to the situation, but I think it certainly depends on many factors that escape the scope of action of the nice people of Sosua.

Sosua is fortunate that there are foreign visitors that are willing and able to do the thinking for the people of the community.

 

[greydread]

At least their working for the money and being productive. Otherwise i guess you could run them out, lock them out or force them to join the abundance of thief's/scammers and liars. Maybe the gOvernment could supply them with handheld computers and teach them how to roll back odometers for the cars imported from USA

funny you should mention hand held computers. Many of these Chicas get more done with a Blackberry than the typical American office worker on their desktop PC. Between texting and operating on a few social networking sites some of these Women are virtual air traffic controllers, managing the comings and goings of their Western Union Novios with great precision. The number of Guys from the US and Canada whose movements are manipulated by these Women will never cease to amaze me and every once in awhile one will hit the Gringo Lotto and wedding bells will be heard, lawyers will get paid and USCIS will have another customer.

I'd like to see one of these Womens' advocate groups take the common sense approach and unionize these workers, providing education and family planning assistance as well as helping them with goal strategies which include savings strategies, continuing education and basic education for their families. As long as these Women are in the position to follow their particular discipline of the health care industry they should be treated like health care professionals. They are providing a form of physical therapy, the oldest form of physical therapy.

 

[Ringo]

[h=2]1,000 prostitutes spook Sosua’s tourism[/h]
Sosua, Dominican Republic.- People in Sosua complain of rampant prostitution that scares families to stay away from the Atlantic Coast’s top tourism destination.
Representatives from community organizations, neighborhood councils and town authorities quoted by elcaribe.com.do estimate that at least a1,000 women exercise prostitution, though only one percent are natives of Puerto Plata province, according to their statements.
Sosua mayor Ileana Newman acknowledges prostitution’s alarming jump in recent years, noting that those women have taken over its main street, Pedro Clisante, to offer their craft round the clock.
“Tour operators have told us they can’t bring tourists, because we’re overwhelmed in prostitution and that’s causing a serious problem for those of us who’re committed to more family tourism,” Newman said, adding that, many women avoid Clisante St. to not be mistaken for a hooker.
Source: DT

Thanks WG. I've been saying this for years? And I'll say it again for those of us that DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH HOOKERS AND CHEAP SEX TOURIST. Those of us that LIVE HERE AND HAVE MONEY TO SPEND DON'T GO INTO SOSUA. WE STAY HOME AND BBQ. WE BUY OVER THE INTERNET SINCE WE DON'T WANT TO GO INTO SOSUA other then to a couple of places for mail and food shopping. The hookers and other selling "stuff" and the booze comes in a truck, have even made their way into Playa Chiquita into the big bucks rentals that have big bucks parties.... so I guess not all are cheap. Nothing like being propositioned at 8 AM when I'm walking my horses out to the pastures.... with my wife close by leading hers. GEEEEEZZZZ.

I was told, and I got confirmation from 3 others, that the Mayor of POP is cleaning things up so that could explain some hooker movement.

On another note? My 3 rentals are down over 50%. Reason? Sosua night life and even during the day. Clear and simple. My clients will NOT return.

Yes, I KNOW that some of you LIVE AND BREATH the Sosua culture. AND we do understand that you could not get "lucky" in your own Country come Heck or High water. Quite frankly, for those that LIKE Sosua the way it is and throw stones and call us land/home people that live here and condemn us LEGAL residence..... That WE should "just move" or except YOUR reason for being here? Words fail me! Some have left and will not come back. For Sale signs are at an all time high with no buyers at any price for family homes and business's.

AGAIN! 12 to 20 years ago ALL of Sosua prospered with family tourist and nice shops all around town and everyone made money. Families would walk around in the evenings with no problems. Some bought property and the "land boom" happened bringing in LOTS of money and good jobs thinking that Sosua would become a multi-national retirement and business community based on family.

Something went wrong and some know what it was and it still plagues Sosua.

Times will change things and Sosua again.

At least we can hope?

 

[gandolf50]

Make them get a "license" or register them along with health checks and then TAX them! Sousa would be a wealthy town gov't and no one would be complaining!

 

[ramesses]

Yes, there are now too many prostitutes.

I have never said that I expected prostitution to be completely eliminated in Sosua. I recognize it exists in every community and it would be foolish to think that will not continue to be true in Sosua or anywhere else.

I've been living in the DR since 1986 and in Sosua since 1999. There have been prostitutes wherever I have been, but only in the last few years has it been in your face like it is now in Sosua.

Hummm, that is not my impression. I first travelled to Sosua in 2005, I found I could not walk down the street without getting groped and grabbed. My fiends call it the golden age. I have since settled down, found a good woman. I still hang around in town....it is nothing like it was when I first arrived.

 

[Uzin]

Hummm, that is not my impression. I first travelled to Sosua in 2005, I found I could not walk down the street without getting groped and grabbed. My fiends call it the golden age. I have since settled down, found a good woman. I still hang around in town....it is nothing like it was when I first arrived.

Same as my impression, I also first came in 2005 and it has always been the same, nothing much has changed. It is simple, Sosua can't compete with other places for tourists - there are so many reasons, not just one... !

 

[windeguy]

Dominican Republic Cracks Down On Sex Trafficking And Prostitution

I know it is "old news" and few arrests have been reported out of Santo Domingo, but

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- People who force others into prostitution and clients of prostitutes will face arrest in the Dominican Republic as part of a crackdown on sex trafficking in the Caribbean country, the attorney general said Wednesday.

Some have said it will never happen...

 

[VJS]

Make them get a "license" or register them along with health checks and then TAX them! Sousa would be a wealthy town gov't and no one would be complaining!

These 1,000 hookers are technically DR tourists who pay for their rent, buy their food, phone cards etc from local vendors, thus indirectly paying a decent chunk of tax revenues for Sosua already.

 

[the gorgon]

Same as my impression, I also first came in 2005 and it has always been the same, nothing much has changed. It is simple, Sosua can't compete with other places for tourists - there are so many reasons, not just one... !

what exactly does Sosua have that would make it a tourist attraction? please explain it to me..

 

[leromero]

With all the arguing about the chicas in sosua, I still haven't seen someone point out what other options sosua has. take all the chicas out of the pictures and half or more of the restaurants/night clubs close down. Now enumerate, what is in sosua that will bring all those families that everyone says are not coming? I don't live there and don't visit the place. In my opinion there are other better places to get ones jollies. Just asking, what else is there? Beach? better places right around the corner. AI? Uh, families go to PC for that.

 

[PICHARDO]

Only 1,000???

 

[mike l]

They will need another 1000 prostitues when the cruise ships land in Mamon.

With the cost of a prostitute @ $25 during the day that will fit nicely with the $89 that the average tourist spends when they arrive in port.

Talk about Duty Free !

 

[Ringo]

These 1,000 hookers are technically DR tourists who pay for their rent, buy their food, phone cards etc from local vendors, thus indirectly paying a decent chunk of tax revenues for Sosua already.

Ya, ya, ya. Heard this before LOTS of times. Do you want to compare the amount that some of us that own property, cars, land and have a "normal" life and live here full time spend? Let's compare our electric, water, internet and cable bills and that pay our tax billS with their's? What we spend on keeping our papers/documents in order vs many that don't have any papers at all.

Get a grip! Most share housing with several others and trade cloths so they have "new" stuff for a night. I've SEEN 15 people living in, sleeping on the hard floor, in a 10' X 15' room with one broken down bathroom. They don't pay rent or any other bills since most are squatters in abandoned construction. Some even live on vacant uncleared land; yep... flushed a few out yesterday. And DON"T tell me that you have been to "their home" and "meet the family". Ya... rent a background to show YOU.

They NEED the sex tourist to buy their food and little gifts. Again... get real. They contribute only what their "John" pays for and little else.

Your argument, as many before and now, shows your lack of knowing what reality really is.

Did YOU know that the D.R. has made it to the top 5 for Sex Tourist AND STD's? Now THAT'S something to be proud of and... WHO'S paying for all the medical needs? How about just the testing? And WHAT did YOU bring home tonight?

OH... and the D.R. is ranked 1st for traffic accidents in the World. I wonder how THAT fits into the equation?

 

[the gorgon]

ok, Ringo, here is what my understanding tells me. it says that Sosua basically has nothing that makes it a tourist attraction, besides the hookers, who make it an attraction for mongers. take away the girls, Sosua is just another sleepy burg on a beach. nothing more..

 

[Ringo]

ok, Ringo, here is what my understanding tells me. it says that Sosua basically has nothing that makes it a tourist attraction, besides the hookers, who make it an attraction for mongers. take away the girls, Sosua is just another sleepy burg on a beach. nothing more..

WRONG! Sosua has a lot of history, some old charm, a good beach, some wonderful opportunities to bring back some fun tourist interests for everyone. It worked years ago and worked very well. Something changed. If you look at the very LARGE retirement community that lives here you would see the lost revenue just cause... we don't go out. The tourist oriented tours, shops and the family rental type places (that sit vacant now); those of us that just don't go into Sosua due to the last 5 to 10 years of change.

It would be easy (not so easy but not that difficult) to change Sosua back into an all around family oriented that makes money for everyone and thus increase the value of real estate, rentals and services.

The hidden and "not going into town" that are staying away and out of Sousa until it changes, or we move, would most likely triple the money spent in town .......... for a nice relaxing, uncomplicated day of walking around and shopping into the evening.

BTW: Property taxes on just ONE of my properties went from P.D. $90K to $125K last year while values are dropping. How much did all the hookers combined pay in taxes?

I'm NOT sorry to state this! You sex tourist and your interests have ruined Sosua.

 

[VJS]

Ya, ya, ya. Heard this before LOTS of times. Do you want to compare the amount that some of us that own property, cars, land and have a "normal" life and live here full time spend? Let's compare our electric, water, internet and cable bills and that pay our tax billS with their's? What we spend on keeping our papers/documents in order vs many that don't have any papers at all.

I am just saying that their money is every bit as good as yours, and they have a right to command a certain respect, just like their foreign and Dominican johns, none of whom are currently breaking any laws. And certainly you and other Sosua long-time residents have every right to try to convert Sosua to the way you like it, using any legal and financial means possible. Go vote with your money and lobby DR senators to declare prostitution illegal aside from designated red lights districts or something.

 

[PICHARDO]

ok, Ringo, here is what my understanding tells me. it says that Sosua basically has nothing that makes it a tourist attraction, besides the hookers, who make it an attraction for mongers. take away the girls, Sosua is just another sleepy burg on a beach. nothing more..

Sosua and the whole north coast was the Punta Cana of the DR in the 70's and 80's...There's more, much more to Sosua other than putas.After they clean up the putas you'll see it firsthand!

 

[Castellamonte]

Most of the tourists I know who come to Sosua are not those who spend a lot of money on anything other than the chicas. The chicas are so inexpensive I may as well include them as well. So if those tourists who go there now go away...I'm not sure it's that big of a deal providing they are replaced with someone who does spend money.

It seems Sosua attracts more ladies & men-seeking-ladies due to its proximity to the airport combined with the abundance of hotel rooms. I'm sure the rather lax attitude these hotels have regarding "guests" is also a contributor although it's hard to say whether their attitude was lax before or after the influx.

Personally, I suspect it will be quite some time before the "cultural infestation" (as some see it) could be cleaned up and replaced with a more "traditionally attractive" tourist trade. "Some time" is greater than how long I think I'll be living in this country...