Parties have become another means by which prostitutes aggressively seek business, THE STAR has found.

Investigations have led to the finding that a number of weekly events around the island have become a feeding ground for prostitutes who most times go there, look for a prospective 'buyer', and then offer their services.

While it may be argued that prostitutes going to parties is nothing new, police sources who are aware of the practice told THE STAR that it has become more prevalent.

"What we suspect is that due to increased police presence in recent months, instead of being on the corner, the women go to parties and seek business there. And they are making a lot of money from it, more than they would on the corner," an officer from the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID) explained yesterday.

THE STAR learnt of the occurrence two weeks ago while at a party called "... Dash Weh" which is held every weekend in a Portmore community, St Catherine.

While there, a group of men who were standing beside THE STAR team were overheard making comments about four women who were standing close by.

increased competition

One of the men was talking about approaching the women and soliciting sex from them, claiming he knows they usually operate along the popular 'Back Road' (Port Henderson Road) in Portmore, and now frequent parties to sell themselves due to increased 'competition'.

"Yu nuh see how much gyal deh a Back Road, a whole heap a competition suh dem come a di party dem and is either man weh know dem go to dem or dem go to who dem want and mek dem know seh a business dem a deal wid," the man was heard telling his friends.

After the party had ended some time after 2 a.m., THE STAR team stuck around to witness the men approach the group of women and they all eventually left together.

Some of the men and women looked too close for comfort as they walked towards two taxis.

Again one of the men was overheard asking his friend, "Yo, a how much she a charge?"

Out of curiosity about the happening, THE STAR went to Ripon Road, near Cross Roads in St Andrew, last Friday and spoke with prostitutes who operate there, asking them if they had any knowledge of their counterparts going to parties and doing business instead of working the streets.

According to them this is the "in-thing", claiming there is a drop in business on the streets so some persons will go wherever the money is. "Yea a di in-thing nowadays, business naw too boom pon di road eno suh some a dem go look it a party all bout di place," one prostitute Kerry, who seemed more interested in selling what she calls a 'special', eventually said.

According to her, during several recent trips to rural parts of the island she realised this was the case not only in Kingston.

"All a country a so dem a do it now, nuff a dem go a party instead a stay pon di road," she explained.

Police sources also confirmed the prostitute's claims. "If they are doing it in Kingston then surely they will be doing it in the country areas. They are all in the same business so new means of making money will spread," the officer from the OCID said.