Foreign and domestic delegates met at a workshop in the northernprovince of Quang Ninh on November 25 to seek ways to fight againstprostitution, which has been getting more sophisticated in this boominghi-tech era.

The Department for Social Vices Prevention ofthe Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs admitted that moreprofessional prostitution rings are capitalising on the development ofthe Internet, mobile phones and other modern devices to marketthemselves both at home and abroad, making it difficult for lawenforcement officials to control.

Some rings even ply their trade openly in specific areas, resulting in social insecurity and serious public concern.

A representative from the Quang Ninh provincial Department of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs said sex services are emerging at karaokeparlours, and dance halls, and even cruise services in Ha Long Bay.

To eliminate this, concerned local agencies have actively launchedawareness campaigns, keeping the public mindful of laws and discipline.They have combined socio-economic development and social welfarepolicies with vocational training projects in a bid to help former sexworkers integrate into the community.

Simultaneously, they have conducted thorough probes and imposed harsh punishment if violations are found.

Meanwhile, Hanoi is actively investigating and putting criminalsinvolved in prostitution on trial, focusing on hotspots across thecity.

In a joint effort with the Department of Information andCommunications, the city’s police are cracking down on those usingmodern technology to traffic, cheat and force women into prostitution.

Thanks to foreign funding, the city is opening vocationaltraining and health centres for sex workers. An inter-sectoral networkto track down their profiles will be up and running soon.

Participants at the event, hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalidsand Social Affairs, also talked about policymaking in the fight againstsex for sale and learnt about the practical experience of theNetherlands.-VNA