Juicy girl

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A juicy bar in Tongduchon, South Korea

A Juicy girl is a woman, typically between the ages of 18-26, who works in a go-go bar or "Juicy Bar" in South Korea, Japan, or within the radius of most U.S. Military bases in eastern Asia, and is employed by the bar to sit and chat with male customers and persuade them to continue to buy alcohol for themselves, and expensive juice drinks for the girls.^[1]^[2] Depending on the individual bar, there is usually an area more secluded where other "services" may be performed but not to the extent of having sexual intercourse. They are so-called as patrons pay for their time by purchasing drinks of juice for them.^[3] The girls are typically from Southeast Asian countries, especially the Philippines, and it is believed that many of them are trafficked into Korea and Japan, and held against their will. It is common for all of the girls at a particular establishment to live in the same small apartment, and it is not uncommon that their passports are taken from them until the end of their contract when they are allowed to return to their home country. In Japan for instance, a "Juicy's" contract is typically 90 days, with an option to either extend or return to her native country.

1 Social and economic issues
2 Personal issues
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Social and economic issues

Juicy girls are sometimes associated with prostitution and the practice of a bar fine is not uncommon:^[1] a patron can pay the bar owner some amount of money, usually in the range of hundreds of U.S. dollars, which technically is for the girl's rest of the evening off, or "buying her day off," as the women work seven days a week. Common belief is that customers assume they are paying for the woman's company, similar to an escort service. However it is usually presumed by all parties involved, though not mentioned conversationally, that sexual services are being purchased. However, women may choose to not engage in sex, as some want to get away from work. This can lead to rape becoming a probability, as a buyer who has paid hundreds would expect sexual services.

Bar owners import young ladies from usually working class areas. The women typically see spending a few months in a foreign country and making some "easy money" exciting, and sign a contract with a bar owner. Upon arrival, bar owners bring in high-profits through the exploitation of their employees. Owners usually provide the minimum living services legally possible (food, suggestive clothing, and shelter), as well as transportation to and from the workplace only. A typical dwelling for a juicy girl is a sub-standard apartment with the entire "brothel" housed in one unit. A juicy girl's personal expenses must come from her commission, which is typically a minuscule percentage of actual earnings (for example, $1 per $10 drink purchased, $10 per $100 bar fine earned, or 10% of total earnings). It is also not uncommon for bar owners to overcharge for alcohol purchased by a customer.*[1]

In the villages outside of Camp Casey and Camp Hovey in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) there are many clubs that offer the services of Juicy Girls, as exposed in a 2002 Fox News report. It must truly be thought of as a service, for many of them do not sleep with their clients and actually have boyfriends. The service they are delivering is the illusion of a young man going into a bar and buying the beautiful women across the bar a drink. The young lady then comes and chats with them all night as they get to know each other and may even give him a few casual kisses and a neck rub in a booth or designated area. The girls in this area are mostly from the Philippines and Russia (although most of the Russians have been deported) and work for one year contracts. They usually have a quota of 35 drinks a weekend or 200 a month depending on the bar. They are paid a commission based on drinks purchased by their client, receiving one point per $10 purchase, with a drink costing $20, although this system varies by bar. Interviews with the girls in the ville showed that they made around an extra 35 dollars per month from their drinks and were actually punished for any tips they received during the night. Many of the girls are there to earn money for their families and will attempt to marry a U.S. serviceman. At this point the soldier can either buy out the contract (usually around $4,000) or work through the local government and U.S. Army to get the young lady a new passport. The governments of Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United States, and the Philippines have established that the women can get new passport for $200 instead of buying their original back from their mama-san. However, many of the women are married in their home country and do not want to return to get new passports.

Establishments with juicy girls are typically found near United States military installations, as (male) U.S. servicemembers are the primary clientèle, though the purchase of a bar fine is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the various commands, including USFK seek punishment.

Kal Gautum of Unicef has described the trafficking of women and children across Asia as "the largest slave trade in history". He says that the victims are usually teenage girls who end up working in sweat shops or brothels.^[4]

There are lots of juicy bars outside of Osan AB, South Korea

[edit] Personal issues

In the often-seen occasion that a male and female enter an intimate relationship (or the female pretends to be in one with him to make more money), the male must either continue to visit the bar to see her or pay continuous bar fines.^[1] In the event the party chooses to get married, it is in violation of the girl's contract and she must return to her country of origin when her contract expires. She may revisit the country as a tourist or the male must visit her home country, which places a huge economic burden on both parties.

Effective 1 October, 2005, new policies from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) allow service members to receive Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) even if their dependants are overseas with them on a non-command sponsored basis. This housing allowance relieves most of the economic burden for service members and often provides a huge economic incentive for servicemembers to marry these bar girls. The benefits are the same, however, regardless of the civilian they marry.