The illegality of female and male sex for sale and homosexuality in Papua New Guinea does not mean that these practises are not flourishing in our nearest neighbour … with the resulting growth of HIV/AIDS, sexual violence and rape.
To compile this story and images – “Lives On The Line – The Risky Business of Selling Sex in PNG” – for Papua New Guinea’s Lily magazine (the first of hopefully more newspaper/magazine publications) – I spent some considerable time last year in ‘establishments’ in Port Moresby that most would politely describe as ‘questionable’ and/or ‘risky’ to say the least. However, most of those I spoke to in relation to their work selling sex did so with polite acceptance and frankness. Photographs were made that would not make their identity and involvement obvious to the authorities.
Amongst those providing me with remarkable insights were a self confessed middle aged lesbian pimp who has the health and well being of her teenage charges very much at heart, two teen girls (16 and 18) who cruise a well known Port Moresby ‘patch’, a ‘working girl’ (Pamuk Meri) who bases herself in an infamous ‘club’ and admits to half a dozen or so ‘clients’ a day … and a young gay man to whom payment for sex is just ‘normal’.
“Lives On The Line” is the third story that I have had published in Lily Magazine – a quality glossy women’s print mag that would well and truly hold it’s own on Australia’s news and magazine stands. (… and Many Thanks to Lily Managing Editor Margo Nugent for her hospitality and assistance!)
If you are interested in the full story and publishing “Lives On The Line” please send me an email at … …
Below are pdf’s of the eight pages of the article in the mag …
Magazine © Lily 2015, images and words © Brian Cassey