Enjo kōsai 援助交際 Paid Appointments for Men and Women

 One of Japan's "plagues" is child prostitution which sees men (but also women) pay for an "appointment" (which almost always ends with a sexual performance) usually with a younger girl or boy. This phenomenon is called Enjo kōsai 援助 交際.
The phenomenon of Enjo kōsai, translated literally means subsidized appointment, sees its intensification towards the nineties of the previous century.

This phenomenon, which extends throughout Japan, mainly involves young girls of school age (middleschool and highschool) who accompany older men in exchange for money or gifts.

The appointments take place using particular services offered by sites, shops, or through email exchanges or by telephone. The girl (or boy) who is contacted agrees to spend a certain period of time, at a certain amount, with the person who pays him/her to go to the cinema, to karaoke, or to go out to eat, even if this genre "dating" often leads to the aftermath, that is to accept (with a higher sum) a sexual performance, transforming the appointment into an act of prostitution, which is prohibited in japan.

The phenomenon has changed in recent years, also affecting social groups and family figures that we would not expect. Although, as previously said, the phenomenon focuses on young girls ranging from 12 to 19 usually, the phenomenon linked to boys, also young (same age groups) who lend themselves to appointments with women older than them.

The reasons that lead these girls to this type of "paid appointment" one could imagine should be sought in their social condition, weak groups who for "necessity" (pass me the term), have found themselves using this system. Instead, it is surprising that this phenomenon is found almost entirely in the medium-high social groups. They do for buy the fashionable dress, the latest model of cell phone, or the branded bag, those expensive cosmetics that everyone uses.

Unfortunately, the youth society, especially the school one, the phenomenon is more marked, sees great pressure on boys and girls. The fact that friends or a group has everything in fashion, the latest brand of dress or accessories, expensive cosmetic, is the spring that leads them to take the path of Enjo kōsai, in order to have some extra money and afford them too certain purchases that will standardize them with the group.

This phenomenon in recent years has affected people you would never think of using such a thing, let's talk about housewives. There are also increases in the phenomenon among housewives, who somehow try to get some extra money into the house. The reasons are different from those that push young girls or boys to do it, even if one of the reasons is to have some extra money for personal purchases.

It is believed that as adults the Japanese are out of the logic of the group that permeates Japan's school system so much, but as things grow, not much changes, especially among the housewives, who often form groups because of their children in schools, or because their daughter or the child participates in one club rather than another. Thus will recreate the same "herd" psychology, there is always a mother who flaunts jewelry, expensive clothes or accessories in the latest fashion, and the others who try to follow the flow of the group for not remain outside. This is a problem deeply rooted in Japan, belonging to social categories that bind, distance and often lead to incredible gestures such as bullying, even between parents, it seems crazy but unfortunately it is so.

The phenomenon is growing and it worries not only the local administrations, and the police (it's a difficult crime in Japan to prosecute) but also the other nations. There has recently been a position taken by the United Nations so as to send a letter of clarification to Japan. In the report presented, the problem is analyzed, finding that even 13% of the girls (12-19 years of age) have resorted to Enjo kōsai.

It is certainly not something that will end easy, rather it is estimated that growth will even lower the age of the young people involved. As long as there is pressure from society, school, family, unfortunately some "weaker" children will always feel that they want to reach their friends or companions. They will always ask themselves "why not me ..." and, unfortunately, they will find simple solutions in this type of "market", but they will mark them.

If it is true that can earn (and the figures that turn are also very high, especially in the hands of girls), you get the gap with the group because you also have what they also have, touching a momentary ephemeral happiness, the end result are psychological scars that these young generations will carry inside.

The interviews with some of the girls who took part in these "dates" tell us about their sense of guilt, the shame for what they did, they report that at the time, they saw no alternative, to be able to reach the group, to have that designer bag that many friends talk about, not being able to ask parents for such an amount of money, for such a futile reason then.

Unfortunately, the number of cases in which, against one's will, these "dating" end with sexual services increase. The fact that some girls refuse certain performances at the end of the day is not taken well by many of those who pay (thinking or mostly already having a certain ending in mind). These girls find themselves victims of real rape. Yes we say things as they are, because being forced into a sex act that you don't want is rape. But as you can imagine, it is not something they can denounce without discovering what they took part in. And here we return to the shame, for themselves, towards their parents, friends and Japanese society which certainly will judge them without delay and harshly.

Gentlemen, this is also Japan, let's not forget it.