On April 13, a man was charged with assault at a Beijing hotel for attacking a female guest he mistook as a member of a rival prostitution ring, the Global Times reported. The incident sparked an interest in prostitution prevalent in Chinese budget hotels.
Public attention, in particular, is focused on the case, as a security camera footage of the attack was uploaded online. With over a million views, the security video has caused plenty of women to fear for their safety when staying in affordable hotels.
Prostitution in such establishments is no new news, however, as people are all aware of the prevailing practice of slipping ads for sex workers under doors of hotel rooms.
Although many hotels and local enforcement bodies have already put mechanisms to curb prostitution, the practice is still rampant as ever.
To help shed light on how these prostitution rings operate, a reporter from The Beijing News went undercover and called the numbers printed on ads to experience it firsthand.
His investigation led him to meet a prostitute known as "Queen Fan," whom he met at a Seven Day hotel in Jingtaiqiao District. According to the woman, a so-called "chicken head" manages her and several other girls. Queen Fan conducts her business in southern Beijing, with 40 percent of clients in budget hotels.
"Our boss repeatedly warned us not to go to Haidian District, because there are many undercover police," Queen Fan told the undercover reporter.
Aside from being managed by a "chicken head," girls like Queen Fan are consistently monitored by drivers, who take them to their place of business. These drivers are also monitored by "chicken heads."
"We will wait outside when they are working and drive them back when they are finished," a driver said.
"Chicken heads" scout for prospective prostitutes by asking acquaintances or using social networking platforms like WeChat, asking strangers if they want a "part-time job."
Although local police have received countless complaints about the distribution of ads and calling cards in budget hotels, the trouble lies in the search for finding the distributors. Such individuals conceal their tracks, and if they are caught, can't really be punished due to lack to evidence.