Zi Teng (Chinese: 紫藤; pinyin: zǐténg) is a non-governmental organisation that cares about the basic rights of women who live in Hong Kong and those who came from mainland China, especially sex workers.
Zi Teng provides assistance to sex workers from Hong Kong and China in the form of legal advices and health care.
Aiming to build up mutual support through networking, Zi Teng operates a 24-hour paging systems in case of emergency.
For example, the notable law on "soliciting for immoral purposes" (CAP 200, no 147) indirectly bans street bargaining and puts sex workers in a very vulnerable position.
Sex workers found in Hong Kong consists of locals and a sizeable percentage from mainland China, Thailand, Philippines and other Asian countries.
They may work as lounge hostess, bar waitress, masseur, social escorts, or providing services in 'salons', saunas, or rented rooms.
A number of the sex workers in Hong Kong arrive as tourists from Mainland China, Thailand, the Philippines and other Asian countries.
Such ambiguities on top of a general ignorance of legal aids often lead to inappropriate actions, such as the act of pleading guilty in hope of more lenient sentence when caught by police.
Women sex workers have started installing security cameras to capture pictures of these violators, and using them as evidence to help police prosecute some of these robbers.
On 10 November 2006, police conducted over 500 raids on prostitution venues in Mong Kok, arresting over 2,800 people and seizing signboards which sex workers use to advertise their services.
If caught, they are charged with breaching the conditions of stay, an act liable to a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment and a fine of $50,000 (most are jailed for three months and then deported).
However, due to their low educational level and some personal reasons, it is always uneasy for them to change to other job fields or stop working as sex workers.
Several local organisations in recent years have begun providing health and legal information and referral services to sex workers.
e.g. a recent public demonstration against International Red Cross's discrimination against sex workers and sexual minorities from donating blood.
[1] With such belief they intent to help the women sex workers from Hong Kong and mainland China by means of outreach activities, publication and audio- visual production, research and social education.
Furthermore, Zi Teng advocates legal and policy changes and cultivates the space for discussion on gender, sexuality and sex work.
This radio show features guest speakers from the trade and discusses topics ranging from customers to the history of the Hong Kong's sex industry.
Films Zi Teng, being a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) receives its funding (roughly HKD15,000 per month) mainly from private donations in terms of cash and cheque.
At the same time, Zi Teng seeks helpers online for doing data collection, research, out-reaching programmes as well as publication related assistance.
Zi Teng publishes an online non periodical newsletter[14] which covers happenings, issues and stories concerning the industry, workers and law both local and abroad.