FOR the past six years, Kevin (*not his real name) has been a part of Fiji’s sex trade in the country, selling sex to both men and women to earn a living.
Kevin does not consider himself gay. He is what some term “gay-for-pay” — a term used to describe a heterosexual man willing to have sex with male clients for money.
But the 28-year-old will sell sex to women and even transsexual men who hire him.
Kevin’s interview with The Fiji Times took more than a week to schedule. He had first hesitated to share his account, but later agreed on the condition that he remain anonymous.
Kevin grew up in his maternal village in one of the country’s maritime provinces, raised by his grandparents in a big extended family setting.
His grandparents took him in when he was two years old, when his single mother had to move to the West to look for a job.
He attended primary school on the island completing studies up to Class 8 (now Year 8).
In an interview that lasted slightly over an hour, with pauses in between, Kevin revealed his life account growing up on the island and the sexual abuse he was suffered at the hands of two older relatives in the village.
He remembers when he was in Class 4 (now Year 4) and aged nine when it happened for the first time.
It continued over a period of time with the same relatives on different occasions until he was in Class 8.
Kevin said he did not know then that he was being sexually abused.
In 2003, when he was ready to study for Form 3 (now Year 9) he was sent to Suva to live with relatives who stayed in an informal settlement. Life with them gradually became more difficult. Most of the time, he said, he would walk to school and he would often go to school without breakfast and lunch.
That was not all. Kevin’s fear began when a family member he lived with would often beat him up if he returned home late from school, even if he had to walk home. He would be beaten up when chores assigned to him were not done.
And then his biggest fear came alive – an older cousin who was in high school at that time and would often bully him began to sexually abuse him.
It started out as touches before it developed into something more.
He said this went on for a good part of that year.
He could not wait for the school year to end so he could escape, or at least meet a relative who could take him in.
“I was a kid back then and I was new to Suva so I didn’t know places I could go to or another relative I knew to live with,” Kevin said shyly.
“It was sad when I think about it now because I didn’t want to return to the island too knowing that the same thing will happen to me when I return.
“I could not tell anyone about it because I was frightened that I would get into more trouble and be punished for it even more.”
Towards the end of the year, he remembers his high school friend telling him about their family plans to visit their grandparents for the Christmas holidays. He said he asked his friend to ask his parents if he could be allowed to join them.
Kevin said after returning from his friend’s village, he returned to the relatives he was living with.
“By this time, I had known a few people around, most of who hung out in the streets during the day and night.”
Kevin enrolled for Form 4 (now Year 10) but dropped out in the first term when things did not change at home.
He lived on the street for the remainder of that year with friends he had made.
It was on the streets that he would see female and transsexual sex workers on the job, and some of those sex workers would then join the street boys later for drinks and nightclubbing.
At 19, in a spontaneous hang out with the sex workers in a famous Suva spot, Kevin and a friend were introduced to the trade when a transsexual sex worker pimped them to male clients who were looking for young men for sex.
The same night Kevin earned $200 from three male clients. The night after that, he and his friend were back at the spot looking for the same group of transsexual sex workers.
Kevin and his friend lived on the streets for a few years, getting exposed to the various lifestyles that came with it. In time, Kevin’s friend began to take him to his home outside Suva to bathe, eat, wash their clothes, and sleep.
Today, Kevin and his friend continue to live there.
The sex trade
Kevin cannot explain why he ended up in the sex trade.
He cannot also explain whether it was because of his childhood experiences with sexual abuse.
Except, he said, that he needed the money and after seeing what he earned the first night he only became him hungry for more money.
Kevin and his friend have been in the trade for nine years.
They have casual jobs at a few places. However, on days they don’t have work or in the evenings after work, they would still visit clients on request, or hunt for clients on days they needed cash.
“We have clients in Suva, Nasinu and Nausori and other places. When it started, we had male clients who wanted service from male sex workers but now, we are also providing the service to women as well,” Kevin said.
He said the charges, however, differed between male and female clients — the men having to pay more than women.
He said they charged female clients $50 and a few extra dollars for male clients.
“The demand is there, yes. Sometimes I go on a few days break where I just rest at home but otherwise, whenever I get a call, I go.”
Kevin said it was even easier for him now because he used a few social media apps that allowed faster and convenient interaction with clients, including potential ones.
As far as his safety is concerned, he said he had not once experienced a dangerous situation that threatened his life.
Drugs
Kevin is a heavy drug user.
The habit began when he first moved out of home to live on the streets.
According to him, he smoked marijuana more now, especially every time he had to meet a client. At one stage, Kevin was even peddling marijuana but stopped after narrowly escaping a Police raid in the settlement where he lived.
He said he would spend $20 to $30 a day on marijuana, depending on his appetite for the drug.
Tests
Kevin has blood tests every three months.
He said this was an important process given the risks associated with the sex trade.
He said he would ensure his supply of contraceptives were always in stock.
“Whenever there is a campaign or wherever there is free condoms like that, I always take my supply from there so I don’t have to buy it,” he said with a cheeky giggle.
His account
At the end of the interview, Kevin said he would not wish nor encourage anyone to take up this trade.
Kevin said he had experienced life on the street as a runaway from home, and also experienced another life of selling sex for a living.
He said most sex workers ended up on the streets because something or someone at home failed them and broke their trust.
“Like most sex workers I know, their stories are the same as mine because most of us ran away from home for personal reasons.”
Kevin said he still felt hatred and anger, mostly at himself for not telling anyone what happened to me back then as a child; and also at his relatives for failing to protect him.
He said since moving to the street those many years ago, he had moved on from what happened to him.
“But for the young people out there who are facing some tough times, I hope they do not run away from home but instead seek help from someone, even from churches but they should not go to the streets.
“That is why the love and care from home is very important.
“I am looking for other opportunities at the moment and when I do get lucky, I believe that will be a new beginning for me.”
Kevin, who has completed a few vocational study programs, said he intended to explore more such opportunities with the hope that he would one day be successful and in a position to let go of this trade.
