Jakarta – It may be a cliche, but grinding poverty continues to force women into sex work. It also drives children on to the streets. Dahlia, not her real name, was just 15 when her mother sold her to a woman for Rp 2 million.

She worked in the sex industry until she was 18 and could no longer bear it. Upon returning to her studies, Dahlia's mother threatened to kill her if she did not skip school to meet "clients".

Desperate for help, Dahlia told other members of her family, who were unaware of her past, she was working as a prostitute. Dahlia and her family members reported the case to the police, leading to Wednesday's arrest of her mother and the woman she worked for.

To police, the 44-year-old mother, identified only as KH, said she was in debt and tired of living a life of poverty. She then met the woman, NS, who lived nearby in Kampung Bulak, Central Jakarta.

In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Friday, NS was said to have been running her business since 2002 through word of mouth. She received orders for girls over the phone.

Most of her workers were under the age of 18. She sold their services for between Rp 500,000 and Rp 1 million. Dahlia's mother was able to pay her debts and buy new furniture and a TV set from prostitution money.

Police said both women would be charged under the 2002 Child Protection Law and Article 297 of the Criminal Code on child trafficking. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years' imprisonment and a Rp 200 million fine.

When asked to comment, women's rights activist Rita Kalibonso said forced prostitution was an ongoing problem here. "This is not just about law enforcement but also about people's awareness of children's rights," she said.

Family members and neighbors must be ready to take action if they believe a child is being abused. "We cannot rely on the police to address this issue because such crimes happen in homes," she said.