XN000022-1988-01-05 — Page 8

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1988

MONG KOK SURVEY ON VICE ESTABLISHMENTS RELEASED * * * * *

LOOSELY IN

MANY FLAT OWNERS AND TENANTS WERE APATHETIC AND ORGANISED TOWARDS TACKLING NUISANCES CAUSED BY VICE ESTABLISHMENTS THEIR BUILDINGS, ACCORDING TO THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED IN MONG KOK.

SPONSORED BY THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD, INTO THE EFFECTS OF VICE ESTABLISHMENTS,

THE SURVEY LOOKED SUCH AS ONE-WOMAN BROTHELS AND UNLICENSED MASSAGE PARLOURS, ON THEIR NEIGHBOURS.

DISTRICT,

THERE ARE MORE THAN 400 SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE AND SOME 600 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS WERE VISITED DURING THE SURVEY.

SUBMITTING THE SURVEY REPORT AT THE DISTRICT BOARD'S COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY (TUESDAY), CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING GROUP, DR KWAN YUI-HUEN, SAID MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT INITIATE ANY ACTION AGAINST THESE ESTABLISHMENTS FOR FEAR OF VENGEANCE.

"THEY WERE ALSO DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUCH ACTIONS, HE SAID.

"MORE THAN HALF OF THEM HAD NEVER DISCUSSED WITH THEIR NEIGHBOURS THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE VICE ESTABLISHMENTS."

"ONLY 30 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS HAD COMPLAINED TO MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, OWNERS' CORPORATIONS, THE POLICE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THE NUISANCES, BUT LESS THAN HALF FOUND THEIR ACTIONS EFFECTIVE," HE SAID.

THE SURVEY FOUND THAT MORE THAN 90 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS LITTLE OR NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT LEGISLATION GOVERNING VICE ESTABLISHMENTS.

HAD

MOST OF THEM SAID THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCES, FIRE HAZARDS AND SECURITY SITUATION IN THEIR BUILDINGS.

THEY SAID THE INDECENT SIGNBOARDS OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS CREATED EMBARRASSMENT AND OBSTRUCTED FIRE ESCAPES. ALSO, THE BURNING OF INCENSE AND PAPER MONEY POSED SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCES ΤΟ THE NEIGHBOURS.

WRRE MORE ACUTELY FELT

"THE EMBARRASSMENT AND INCONVENIENCE WHEN THEY HAD TO SHARE THE SAME CORRIDOR OR ENTRANCE WITH CLIENTS OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS, DR KWAN POINTED OUT.

HOWEVER, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT THE RESPONDENTS REGARDED AS INSIGNIFICANT THE THREAT OF CRIMES, SUCH AS INDECENT ASSAULT, RAPE, FIGHTING, BURGLARY AND ROBBERY, IN THESE BUILDINGS.

/MORE THAN