Bacchus Ladies

Jongmyo Park in Seoul

Bacchus Ladies (Hangul: 박카스 할머니; RR: bagkaseu halmeoni) are elderly Korean prostitutes who solicit in parks and plazas in Seoul, South Korea for sex in nearby motels. They traditionally made a living by selling bottles of the popular Bacchus energy drink in the parks where elderly men gather to socialize. The women are in their 50s, 60s, and some even their 80s.[1] The price for selling sex is about 20,000 to 30,000 won ($18–26 USD), or even less if the man is a regular client.[2][3][4][5][6][7] According to Dr. Lee Ho-Sun, a researcher, about 400 women work in Jongmyo Park in Seoul. Younger men in their 20s to 40s are also increasingly becoming regular clients.[8][2]

Background

The poverty rate of elderly people in South Korea is the highest among the OECD countries
Poverty rate in South Korea (age 65+) in 2011

In a Confucian society like South Korea, elderly parents were respected, and in their old age could traditionally have relied on their children. However, with recent rapid changes in society, attitudes of children have changed dramatically. There is no welfare system that works effectively in South Korea. These elderly women have no savings, no realistic pension, and no family to rely on.[2] The poverty rate of women aged over 65 in South Korea is 47.2%, the highest among the OECD countries. This figure rises to 76.6% for single elderly women.[6][9] Professor Lee Ho-Sun of the Korea Soongsil Cyber University in Seoul has carried out research and found many of the women were involved in prostitution during their earlier years in karaoke bars and teahouses, returning to prostitution in later years because of financial pressures.[10]

Policing

Prostitution in South Korea is illegal and the police patrol the area and conduct periodic crackdowns.[2] Women who are arrested are usually given a warning or a small fine.[10] 33 women, including an 84-year-old woman, were arrested as part of a crackdown in early 2015.[10] After the raid, the number of working women fell to about 200.[10] Local police believe the problem can't be solved by crackdowns and that policy needs to be changed.[2]

STIs

There is an epidemic of STIs amongst the elderly, primarily caused by the Bacchus Ladies' use of erection enhancing substances on their clients. These are injected into a vein, but the needles may be reused 10 - 20 times. A 2014 local survey found 40% of the men are infected. The local government now offers sex education classes to the elderly.[2][11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Elderly prostitutes reveal South Korea's dark side". Japan times. September 27, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Williamson, Lucy (June 10, 2014). "The Korean grandmothers who sell sex". BBC News.
  3. ↑ "Police crack down on 'Bacchus ladies'". The Korea Times. March 26, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-07-08.
  4. ↑ "할머니, 폐지 주울 바엔 할아버지와…" [Old women prefer old men to collecting the used paper] (in Korean). The Hankyoreh. November 9, 2012.
  5. ↑ "[Special reportage- part I] Elderly prostitution at Jongmyo Park". The Hankyoreh. April 27, 2013.
  6. 1 2 "[Special reportage- part II] Elderly prostitution in Jongmyo Park". The Hankyoreh. May 4, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Elderly prostitutes reveal dark side of South Korea's rapid ascent, many cut off from children". FOX News. September 25, 2015.
  8. ↑ "[조선비디오] 김채호 기자의 '거친 카메라' - '박카스 할머니' 찾는 젊은 남자들" [[Korean video] Kim Chae-ho reporter's camera, "Bacchus ladies" Young men] (in Korean). Chosun.com. April 2, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Old-Age Income Poverty" (PDF). OECD. 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Elderly prostitutes reveal dark side of South Korea's rise". New York Post. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  11. ↑ Nwoye, Irene Chidinma (11 June 2014). "Elderly Women In South Korea Turn To Prostitution to Keep From Starving". Slate. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
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