Taipei prostitutes ask job be legalized

Prostitutes in Taiwan's capital are demanding their jobs be legalized again as 6 percent of them have committed suicide in harsh living conditions.

Wang Fang-ping, director of a prostitutes' advocacy group made the appeal to Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, saying the ban imposed in 1999 is unfair as it doesn't punish brothel owners or pimps, the Taipei Times reported.

Wang told reporters the city has collected $1.3 million in fines since the ban, representing 9,796 offenses.