人權組織呼籲中國保障性工作者基本權利

China's attempts to crack down on illegal prostitution have led to increased police brutality of sex workers in a country where educational and economic challenges lead many to seek opportunity in the underground industry.

中國試圖打擊非法賣淫活動的舉措導致警方愈加野蠻地對待性工作者。在中國，教育和經濟上的困境導致許多人在這一見不得光的地下產業尋求機會。

According to a new report from New York-based Human Rights Watch, periodic sweeps of places such as karaoke bars, hair salons and massage parlors result in detentions, harassment and blackmail of sex workers in China. Police abuse of workers in custody is often so severe that it constitutes torture under China's domestic law, according to the report, which was based on interviews with 140 sex workers, clients and experts.

紐約的人權觀察(Human Rights Watch)的一份新報告顯示，中國對卡拉ok廳、髮廊和按摩房的定期“掃黃”行動導致性工作者受到拘留、騷擾和勒索。報告顯示，警方常常嚴重虐待被拘押的性工作者，按中國的法律，這構成了刑訊行爲。報告是基於對140名性工作者、客戶和有關專家的採訪。

The Beijing Public Security Bureau did not respond to requests for comment.

北京公安局沒有回覆置評請求。

Many women reported having been beaten into confession of prostitution, the study said, noting that confession relieves officials from having to present other, harder-to-acquire evidence of prostitution. 'They attached us to trees, threw freezing cold water on us, and then proceeded to beat us,' one woman was quoted as saying.

報告顯示，許多女性說自己是被屈打成招才承認賣淫，並指出這種供詞讓官員們無需再提出其他更難獲取的賣淫證據。報告中引述一名女性的原話說，他們把我們綁在樹上，朝我們潑冰水，還打我們。

The stories of abuse highlight the lengths to which police force is used in China to stamp out prostitution, a taboo issue that remains rampant despite crackdowns. While prostitution is illegal in China, it is supported by the business and political culture.

性工作者遭虐待的事件突顯出中國運用警力打擊賣淫活動所達到的程度。賣淫在中國被視爲禁忌，但屢禁不止並依然猖獗。雖然賣淫在中國是非法的，然而卻受到了商業和政治文化的支持。

Prostitution in China is also the byproduct of an economy that has opened opportunities for many to improve their living standards, but not all. Social disparities created by limited education and employment opportunities have led many women, rural women in particular, to turn to prostitution as the fastest way to improve their livelihood, the report said.

賣淫是經濟發展的一個副產品。中國經濟爲許多人提供了改善生活水平的機會，但並非所有人。報告說，因受教育和就業機會受限造成的社會不平等導致許多女性、尤其是農村女性將賣淫當成提高生活水平的最快途徑。

The report also underscores the extent to which most Chinese citizens are unaware of their rights, or do not feel that they have the right, to protect themselves against law-enforcement officials. None of the women interviewed in the study filed a complaint or criminal charges against police who abused them. Most were unaware that they could hire an attorney for protection, the study said.

報告還強調，大多數中國民衆不清楚保護自己不受執法人員侵犯的權利，或不覺得自己有這種權利。報告採訪的女性沒有一人投訴虐待她們的警察或提起刑事訴訟。報告說，她們大多數人都不知道可以請律師保護自己。

Human Rights Watch said that police actions open an estimated 4 million to 6 million of China's sex workers under to additional safety and health risks. Many women interviewed also said that they stopped carrying and using condoms after police deemed the condoms as evidence of prostitution.

人權觀察說，警方的行動令爲數估計達400萬至600萬的中國性工作者面臨額外的安全和健康風險。許多受訪女性還說，她們不再攜帶和使用安全套，因爲警察認爲安全套是賣淫的證據。

The report -- which focused on sex workers in Beijing's parks, salons and massage parlors -- said that some workers were detained after servicing undercover police.

報告說，一些性工作者在爲臥底警察服務後被拘捕。報告重點關注北京的公園、髮廊和按摩房的性工作者。

Human Rights called on China to protect basic rights of workers and prohibit arbitrary detentions, arrests and brutality and to ensure protection of workers in a call for basic human rights. It also called on officials to prosecute police offenders and to create legislation that removes criminal sanctions against voluntary and consensual sex.

人權觀察在呼籲基本人權時，希望中國保護性工作者的基本權利，禁止任意扣押、逮捕和暴行，並確保性工作者得到保護。該組織還呼籲官員們懲處濫施刑罰的警方人員，並立法取消對雙方同意的自願性行爲的刑事制裁。

'Failure to uphold the rights of the millions of women who voluntarily engage in sex work leaves them subject to discrimination, abuse, exploitation, and undercuts public health policies,' the report said.

報告說，數百萬自願從事性工作的女性的權利得不到維護，導致她們遭受歧視、虐待、剝削，並破壞公共衛生政策。