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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, in the Legislative Council today (October 25):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of under-age girls arrested by the police in each district for suspected prostitution, the number of such girls who had come to Hong Kong on Two-way Permits issued by the Mainland, and the number of convictions, as well as the penalty imposed, in each of the past three years;
(b) whether it has discussed with the Mainland authorities the problem of Mainland under-age girls engaging in prostitution in Hong Kong and strengthened the cooperation with them with a view to further combating vice-operators; if it has, of the details of the discussion; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) whether it knows if the parents or guardians of those Mainland girls who have been discovered to have engaged in prostitution in Hong Kong will be penalised for child neglect?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) From 2003 to 2005, the Police did not come across any case of girls under the age of 16 involved in prostitution. As for the period from January to September of 2006, there were two such cases and they did not involve Mainland visitors. Investigation of the cases is still ongoing and no person has been convicted for the time being.
(b) Since the situation of prostitution involving Mainland under-age girls in Hong Kong is not serious, the Administration has not liaised with the respective Mainland authorities specifically in this regard. Notwithstanding, the law enforcement departments of the HKSAR Government have been maintaining close liaison and cooperation with the Mainland authorities, through targeting organised vice syndicates and tackling the problem at source, as well as carrying out more intelligence-led operations on different levels to combat vice activities so as to minimise the chance of entry of doubtful visitors.
(c) If a girl's parents, guardians or other persons have been involved in controlling the girl for prostitution in Hong Kong, they will contravene section 130 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200). The Police will take appropriate action having regard to the situation of each case.
Ends/Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:26
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