Sosua Reports

[Frannie]

Why does it say that the girls were forced to offer sexual services? I think it's not true but but I don't live in Sosùa.

If you read the initial press release very carefully, it states that the police seized records of the girls being fined if they failed or refused to go out with customers.

[Niceb]

"During the raid the police encountered, as they announced. 32 girls who were forced to offer sexual services.

The police freed them from their precarious situation, as informed the police".

Why does it say that the girls were forced to offer sexual services? I think it's not true but but I don't live in Sosùa.

"the police freed them from their precarious situation.". Are they serious. I broke into laughter when I read this because it's not true, it is?

Please tell me what you know of how it works.

Thanks

[Zedman99]

Again, I said if what happened to passion owner then you could arrest all brothel owners in Santo Domingo. There is no difference in what they do. You never pay girl directly. You pay bartender. So, let's see what happens, but I would never go to a brothel or pick up a SW in the DR. No way.

I've gone to 305 girls were gorgeous but 100 US no thanks. Picked up streetwalkers they were nice.

So I have been to a brothel in Santo Domingo but never got a girl there. If that's what they do the same thing can happen to them. I cannot verify that.

Let time tell the full story.

[Revere]

The law states that there is no pimping of women. They are independent contractors who "Rent Space / Room". Therefore the customer pays them then they give the "rent" to the establishment. That is how it is done. It is also done that way in Costa Rica. Otherwise if you are the owner you are "pimping" when you receive the money directly from the customer.

You can say whatever-but that's how they get around the Pimping law. He didn't do it. I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I took one girl from there I PAID THE BARTENDER not the girl the money.

That being said I do not know the owner so I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. It's none of my business. In "FIELD OF DREAMS" I gave the money directly to the girl. That is how it is properly done.

Time will tell exactly what happened I will not exploit someone problems with pure speculation and hearsay.

Again, I said if what happened to passion owner then you could arrest all brothel owners in Santo Domingo. There is no difference in what they do. You never pay girl directly. You pay bartender. So, let's see what happens, but I would never go to a brothel or pick up a SW in the DR. No way.

[Zedman99]

What did the owner of Passions do different, to were he was arrested? Passions has been there for years. Its no secret to what goes on there.

The law states that there is no pimping of women. They are independent contractors who "Rent Space / Room". Therefore the customer pays them then they give the "rent" to the establishment. That is how it is done. It is also done that way in Costa Rica. Otherwise if you are the owner you are "pimping" when you receive the money directly from the customer.

You can say whatever-but that's how they get around the Pimping law. He didn't do it. I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I took one girl from there I PAID THE BARTENDER not the girl the money.In "FIELD OF DREAMS" I gave the money directly to the girl. That is how it is properly done.

That being said I do not know the owner so I don't know what goes on behind the scenes at Passions or any other place. But I know if I did own one of those places I would probably have a Dominican partner and follow the law to the letter.

Time will tell exactly what happened I will not exploit someone problems with pure speculation and hearsay as is often done here by some members.

[SavePros321]

I thought you were going to tell us what exactly happen to your boy?

And he said he was going to post a photo of the chica that got his friend locked up once his friend returned to the US. Nothing so far.

[Rahsta]

Combo is absolutely right pimping is AGAINST the law.

Once again you see how somebody breaking the law and is arrested immediately 99. 9% of the replies are about the corruption in the DR and how the owner did not pay off the right people. It's never about BREAKING THE LAW. Nobody on this site replying has a clue about all the charges that may or may not be brought against him but most always point to corruption. Amazing isn't it. Some Mongers come down get drunk, look to buy dope and in some cases get arrested for varies reasons and its the 99. 9% of the replies are the police are corrupt. The 99. 9% never have any facts to back up their claims because its always second, third hand. On and on information. Look at the recent posts of a guy who they claimed was still in jail-passport taken-stuck in DR at his girlfriends. Turned out ALL FALSE concerning him being stuck in Jail and NOT having his passport and having to pay 60, 000 peso's. His friend replied on this site that he was arrested but didn't pay 60, 000 pesos and is back in the USA. I will believe his friend because after that post the bullshit all stopped concerning the issue.

Alot of poster make me laugh how in their country the police are honest and not corrupt and none of these things would happen in THEIR COUNTRY. But we all know if you got the money you can almost get away with anything anywhere.

This site is more of a rumor mill about Sosua than anything else.

So go to Sosua act like a gentleman and respect all the people of the Dominican Republic because you are their guest and you will be fine. Tourism is their bread and butter.

As I have often stated I have never had a problem with the authorities in any way and have been visiting the Dominican Republic for many years. Take care and enjoy this beautiful country.

What did the owner of Passions do different, to were he was arrested? Passions has been there for years. Its no secret to what goes on there.

[DeepMmpactt]

Your quote about speakingnto peters family, is from cubadave. He has since backed off his statement, after reading the report about human trafficing.

I was wondering by your post, did Peters family actually inform you? It implies by your quote Mr E, that they personally informed you. Or were you quoting Cuba Dave? Also I was wondering, Someone mentioned Dlatins getting raided, and the women and men divided up. IDs were being checked My question is " I never carry my passport, only a fake throw away wallet with a couple thousand pesos in it, If I were asked for it I wonder would the cops allow me to go to my hotel and get it? Or should I carry a photocopy of it? Any thoughts?

[Mr Gogo]

From talking to my people on the scene, nobody was worried about the pimping charge. Once "[CodeWord908]" was brought in everybody said Peter was in deep shit now. Peter is on three of my girls Facebook pages, and they just removed him yesterday. When I saw his picture back then and asked about it, they all said he was a good guy. Now everybody is running from him saying crazy shit but just last year he was perfect.

He even did right by most people here. I just can't throw him under the bus as quickly ad some people have done, I'm sorry.

[Frannie]

I ought to know the answer to that but I don't. My gf pays US$200 a year but I have never been able to get any sense out of her as to what sort of visa it is.

Obviously the same kind of visa that mine has, then. Or the same kind of woman.

[Frannie]

the main charge against peter is not pimping, but [CodeWord908].

i don't see where you get this from. the only primary document available to us is the prosecution press release. there are numerous secondary reports that all say something like:

el ministerio público de puerto plata, pidió 12 meses de prisióand como medida de coercióand, contra dos imputados a quienes se les atribuye ser los cabecillas responsables de proxenetismo en el establecimiento passio's bar, ubicado en municipio de sosúa, provincia puerto plata.

proxenetismo may be translated into english as "pandering" or possibly "pimping". anyway the definition is: ". consiste en obtener beneficios económicos de la prostitucióand de otra persona", so it is pretty obvious what it means.

however, since the prosecution has up to a year, which can no doubt be extended, to build its case, it may not have to produce a detailed list of all the possible charges at the present time.

in the us it is not at all unusual for a prosecution to produce a variety of related charges and to bargain with the defence. often the more severe charges will be dropped in exchange for a plea of guilty to lesser charges to avoid a trial. this is not so much in the uk, although note that the broadcaster stuart hall pled guilty to a number of relatively minor charges of indecent assault of minors (for example kissing a 13-year-old on the mouth) in exchange for dropping a charge of [CodeWord123] against an adult.

to me the worst charges might stem from the mention that women were fined if they refused to go out with certain clients, as this would imply coercion to commit acts of prostitution. no?

below is the link to the puerto plata department of prosecutions web site for anyone who is interested in following further developments.

http://pgr.gob.do/portal/default.aspx

[Charles Pooter]

How much money do Haitians have to pay for a work visa in the DR and how long does it last? Thanks for the early advice on all

I ought to know the answer to that but I don't. My gf pays US$200 a year but I have never been able to get any sense out of her as to what sort of visa it is. It satisfies the cops when they check her so she is happy. It doesn't seem to say anything about "work" or "study' so maybe it is just a "temporary residence" visa, although it doesn't say that either. This is a very sensitive area for Haitians as they feel very vulnerable. Also they are told all sorts of BS by Haitian and Dominican officials, the laws and interpretations are constantly changing, and most of them have limited literacy for official jargon in minute print, so everyone is confused all the time and reluctant to discuss it with blan.

I hope someone here knows more than me about "work" visas and can answer your question.

Do any of you guys know of a car rental agency or person that will allow there autos to be taken across the Haiti border?

You would probably have better luck hiring a car in Israel to drive to Iran.

You might find a private person who would rent you a car but I guess you would have to put the whole (and probably inflated) value of the car up as security.

[Charles Pooter]

Stop it Charles, every time you have an opportunity to stand up and be real you fail.

I don't understand what this means. Is it Zen?

We all know you don't favor Black Beards, stop throwing a well established, respected business under the bus to boost FOD.

I don't "favor" any establishment. I have no interest in any of them, I receive no perks or freebies and I post impartially, warts and all. I have consistently praised Blackbeards and often recommended guys to stay there, including only yesterday on another board. It was my introduction to the DR and, unlike other posters who say they get bored there after a few days, I was there for two weeks and rarely left the premises. I was very sad to leave and another two months wouldn't have been too long for me. Blackbeards has many advantages but it is not fair to conceal its minor downsides from newbies.

It is true that I have often put in a word for FoD because it is often omitted from suggestions and recommendations and, for a certain minority of mongers, those who have enough Spanish to hunt for non-pros and (more likely) semi-pros, it is the best location, better than Sosua or Blackbeards. Some of my friends and acquaintances in that category would never stay anywhere else but they don't fit the usual profile for Sosua mongers. Also for those like me, who liked to pop into Sosua often to meet fellow mongers, but didn't want to stay overnight there.

FoD's problem is that it never achieves a "critical mass" of satisfied customers to sustain progress with ongoing word-of-mouth recommendations the way Blackbeards does. That is partly, but not entirely, its own fault. Everytime it gets close to that, the ownership or something else changes and they have to roll the rock up the hill again. But it would be a shame if it closed, as there is nowhere else with its specific advantages, so I do my little bit to keep it open. But if they start fucking up again I will be the first to post, as I did about my last disappointing visit there.

Blackbeards doesn't need my praises on the board as I never stay there and there are plenty of posters who do to sing its praises.

Black beards is not pimping, we pay the girls.

I specifically wrote that Blackbeards could make that defence, whereas Passions, Oxygen, and maybe FoD could not. But it is also true that if the authorities are gunning for Blackbeards it would be a paper-thin defence, as the whole establishment relies on girls selling sex for money, so I am sure they could nail them on one charge or another. Let's hope they don't want to.

The main charge against Peter is not pimping, but [CodeWord908].

Yes, I think that is bizarre. To the best of my belief no chica was ever coerced in to working there or prevented from leaving. Nor were they transported there against their will or under a false pretext. They must all have known exactly why they were going there and the vast majority must have sold sex for money where they came from. So it doesn't add up to "trafficking" as I understand the word. But the law in the DR is a crock of shit and, if someone on high has got it in for you, the niceties of the law won't stand in their way (which is the point I was making about Blackbeards).

But there is no doubt that Peter and Mariela were blatantly pimping. A large part of their income came from money paid to putas for sexual services. If a third party takes a cut from such money it is pimping by any definition and is illegal in every country (that concerns us) in the world. Why they are not being charged with that instead is strange, as they would have no defence whatever. Maybe "people trafficking", as a more serious charge, to impress the US paymasters (and let's not forget that this whole business of the crackdown is orchestrated from the US)."People trafficking" is a horrific crime but one of which Peter and Mariela are not guilty to the best of my knowledge.

Peter has always been my friend

Then you are not impartial like me and your views carry less weight. I hope you will be one of those supportive friends ThunderStar was calling for (from the safety of rural England).

Peter is just a fall guy but not a bad person. He loves his Dominican daughter more than anything.

I have never said he was a bad person. Just someone breaking the law who cannot complain if his luck has run out. I specifically said he was always amicable to me although I was his worst customer, and once the changes were effected could not even bear to take newbies there as I had done previously.

I don't see how he can be a "fall guy". A fall guy is some underling who takes the rap for his boss(es) or more powerful interests. As far as I know, no-one forced or blackmailed Peter to run a brothel for their benefit.

The fact that he loves his daughter is sweet, not at all unusual for parents, and absolutely nothing to do with his guilt or otherwise. I imagine it will carry no weight in law, nor should it. I am not suggesting Peter is a monster, or even a bad person, but history is full of monsters (Nazi war criminals for example) who were really devoted to their children.

I would call Peter more of a match maker than a pimp.

That Mary Poppins explanation is just comical. I will leave other posters here to mock that one.

He never forced anyone to do anything.

May well be true, but that is not a necessary part of pimping, which is simply third parties profiting from prostitution. The idea that prostitutes are always coerced into the trade is popularized by feminists, religious wackos and Hollywood. Often true, but not so much in the DR.

[Frannie]

I am thinking you are over estimating how well these girls are doing in the business. There are way more girls on the strip then guys. Fact. Most girls can not get a taker. The average IMHO may do 3 guys a week if they are lucky. The average girl is struggling. Some do not even have enough food on a regular basis. There are some girls the hottest of the hot who can score more consistently. They are not the norm. Remember all the girls you walk by and do not give a second look. Haitian girls know that the competition is tough and they respond by trying to stand out with price and good service. .

For once I agree with Old Kool. I think posters on this board often vastly overestimate the income of the average chica on the street.

My friend who once owned a nightclub in Puerto Plata kept an Excel spreadsheet of the income from 1000 peso "salidas" that were paid each time a chica exited the facility with a customer (often 500 pesos of this was immediately returned to a taxi driver). It was very much a "bell curve" with the single most popular chica averaging around one salida daily, a few other hotties getting around one every other day, and more than half the chicas rarely getting any salidas at all. A regular clientele, some of whom asked to be called if a new girl showed up on campus, would often salida each new girl one time, which accounted for a not negligible tranche of the overall business. This initial interest would give the girls high hopes of making some real money, but usually fell off after the first week.

While I have no actual evidence that this pattern translates into the same thing for the bar chicas in Sosua, it seems intuitively likely that it would do so. The majority do not look as if they have high income that allows them to invest in expensive hair stylings and elegant clothing that would attract the more affluent customer. Most wear the same outfit every night. It is also logical that the most desirable chicas will not only get customers more frequently, but are also able to charge higher fees, and spend less time on the hunt. Some of the scams encountered may be attempts by low frequency chicas to maximize income from the few dates that they do manage to score.

[Grub1]

All very true. Not the whole story, but a big part of it.

How much money do Haitians have to pay for a work visa in the DR and how long does it last?

Thanks for the early advice on all