I have seen many news articles wherein adult establishments are raided and the “personal service providers” in such establishments are “rescued.” Of course we all know that prostitution is against the law, but must the forces of authority play the role of a chivalrous knight?

Yesterday I came across a news article which reported about a sex den that was raided and a 17-year old girl named Rhea was “rescued.” I admit that the girl really needed salvation. She is a minor. She was apparently trading sex for drugs. And the authorities placed her under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, where she will undergo counseling and drug rehabilitation. It is an action that I do applaud. The message of Chief Insp. Valentino Lopez, chief of the Complaint and Reaction Unit of the Office of the PDEA Director General, is quite clear:

If we can save someone like Rhea, we are sending a message that we are determined to save more minors like her.

But what about the raids on massage parlors or KTVs, where the girls—who are of age—willingly and consciously enter the trade?

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Ever wonder what a “love seat” in a motel looks like?

This shot was taken at Victoria Court in Caloocan.

One of the most common urban legends is the two-way mirror inside motels. I have never come across a motel that has a two-way mirror, but if you prefer to be cautious about it, here’s one way to tell if it is indeed one (taken from Wikihow):

1. Observe how the mirror is installed. A normal mirror is hung against the wall, but an observation mirror is set into the wall. If the wall is behind the mirror, it’s probably a normal mirror.
2. Turn off the lights and hold a flashlight or even a small pen light to the mirror. If it is a two-way mirror, the room on the other side will be illuminated.
3. Press your eyes against the mirror and cup them with your hands, creating a dark “tunnel” to block out the light. When you do so, the light in the observation room will be brighter than the light on your side of the mirror, and you should be able to see something beyond the glass.
4. Tap on the surface of the mirror with your knuckle. A normal mirror will produce a dull sound because it is placed in front of a wall. A two-way mirror, however, will produce an open, hollow, and reverberating sound, because there is an open space on the other side.

I know that some people are prudes and thus are quick to assume that motel rooms are dingy, sleazy, unkempt. On the contrary, motel rooms can be cozy and comfortable. Admittedly, the quality is far from 4- and 5-star hotels, but they are not holes-in-the-wall either.

My favorite has always been the Victoria Suites in Pasig.

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