The New Paper
Thursday, Feb 07, 2013
MALAYSIA - Six Malaysian women who were sent to Australia on student visas were told that they had to perform sex acts to pay off their debts.
The woman accused of running a Sydney brothel, Chee Mei Wong, 37, told the women who were held in alleged "sexual servitude" that they had to do it to pay off the debts they incurred in going to Australia, a court heard yesterday.
Wong pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual servitude and six counts of breaching visas, including exploiting workers, reported the Australian Associated Press.
At the opening day of her trial in the NSW District Court in Sydney, it was alleged that Wong ran the Diamonds brothel in Willoughby in Sydney's north between August 2008 and 2010.
She is also known as Yoko.
She allegedly employed six women of Indian background, who were recruited in Malaysia.
They were then sent to Australia on student visas.
Not fluent in English
These women spoke little to no English and were told they would have to work until they paid off the cost of their airfare, visa and course fees - a debt of around A$5,000 (S$6,500), said Crown prosecutor Carolyn Davenport SC.
"They were also told upon arrival what services they must perform at the brothel," Ms Davenport said.
When some of them refused, they were told that they must.
"They were told that they were not allowed to leave the brothel until they had paid off their debt," she added.
Student visa regulations stipulated the women could work only 20 hours per week, but it was alleged they were working seven days a week.
The women paid off their debt after a "short period of time", but it was alleged that Wong threatened she would have their visas revoked if they left.
But Wong's barrister, Mr Bruce Quinn, said she was a "woman of good character" who worked at the brothel as a casual receptionist.
He said the matter was simply an "industrial dispute" and a "sham" created so the women could stay in Australia".
"There was no sexual servitude and there was no working beyond 20 hours," he told the jury.
Thursday, Feb 07, 2013
MALAYSIA - Six Malaysian women who were sent to Australia on student visas were told that they had to perform sex acts to pay off their debts.
The woman accused of running a Sydney brothel, Chee Mei Wong, 37, told the women who were held in alleged "sexual servitude" that they had to do it to pay off the debts they incurred in going to Australia, a court heard yesterday.
Wong pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual servitude and six counts of breaching visas, including exploiting workers, reported the Australian Associated Press.
At the opening day of her trial in the NSW District Court in Sydney, it was alleged that Wong ran the Diamonds brothel in Willoughby in Sydney's north between August 2008 and 2010.
She is also known as Yoko.
She allegedly employed six women of Indian background, who were recruited in Malaysia.
They were then sent to Australia on student visas.
Not fluent in English
These women spoke little to no English and were told they would have to work until they paid off the cost of their airfare, visa and course fees - a debt of around A$5,000 (S$6,500), said Crown prosecutor Carolyn Davenport SC.
"They were also told upon arrival what services they must perform at the brothel," Ms Davenport said.
When some of them refused, they were told that they must.
"They were told that they were not allowed to leave the brothel until they had paid off their debt," she added.
Student visa regulations stipulated the women could work only 20 hours per week, but it was alleged they were working seven days a week.
The women paid off their debt after a "short period of time", but it was alleged that Wong threatened she would have their visas revoked if they left.
But Wong's barrister, Mr Bruce Quinn, said she was a "woman of good character" who worked at the brothel as a casual receptionist.
He said the matter was simply an "industrial dispute" and a "sham" created so the women could stay in Australia".
"There was no sexual servitude and there was no working beyond 20 hours," he told the jury.
