KUALA LUMPUR: The Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) came out strongly against the views on husbands paying for sex expressed in yesterday's front page report in the New Sunday Times.
"WAO wishes to categorically state that we are completely opposed to the view that career women are to be blamed when their husbands turn to sex workers," said executive director Ivy Josiah.

Josiah explained that it was the organisation's understanding that WAO vice-president Vicky Alahakone had spoken in her personal capacity as a family law practitioner, and that she was merely presenting the views given by some male clients to justify why they went to sex workers.

The report said there is still a high demand for prostitutes in Malaysia, and that one of the reasons for this is apparently busy, career-chasing wives.

"These views in no way represent the views of WAO," Josiah stressed.

"WAO further adds that some married men, irrespective of class, ethnicity and age, and with or without working spouses, choose to pay for sex for a variety of reasons, including the belief that they have a right to have more than one sex partner."

She said it was regrettable that the prevalent attitude of viewing women as sex objects and not according them full respect as equal partners was further reinforced in a society of unequal gender relations.