EURASIANNATION CO-FOUNDER BLASTS SO-CALLED "ASIAN RELATIONSHIP EXPERT" FOR SUPPORTING EXPLOITATION OF ASIAN WOMEN

A self-proclaimed "Asian Relationship Expert" is posing as a spokesperson for Asian-Americans, yet she appears to be secretly profiting from the sexual exploitation of Asian women.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY--June 12, 2002. Carmen Van Kerckhove protested the work of Ming Tan, a self-described "Asian Relationship Expert" today. Van Kerckhove is co-founder of EurasianNation, an online magazine and community for people of mixed European and Asian descent.

"I am appalled by the content of your Web site, AttractAsianWomen.com. It degrades and objectifies Asian women all around the world. You are charading as some kind of spokesperson for Asian women by claiming to be an "Asian Relationship Expert," yet your site appears to support both the mail-order bride business and the sex industry," Van Kerckhove said in an open letter to Ming Tan. (Please see attached letter.)

Van Kerckhove went on to expose content on Tan's Web site that promotes Asian women as mail order brides, as well as pornographic stories that appear to celebrate the work of Asian females in massage parlors.

"I am sickened that you willingly support the exploitation of your fellow Asian women in this manner," said Van Kerckhove.

EurasianNation is an online magazine and community for people of mixed European and Asian descent. It was founded by Chinese-Belgian sisters Carmen Van Kerckhove and Iris Van Kerckhove in April 2002. To learn more, visit www.eurasiannation.com.

AN OPEN LETTER OF PROTEST TO MING TAN OF ATTRACTASIANWOMEN.COM

June 12, 2002

From Carmen Van Kerckhove, Co-Founder, EurasianNation

Ms. Tan:

I am appalled by the content of your Web site, AttractAsianWomen.com. It degrades and objectifies Asian women all around the world.

You are charading as some kind of spokesperson for Asian women by claiming to be an "Asian Relationship Expert," yet your site appears to support both the mail-order bride business and the sex industry.

Your "In Asia" page reads: "If you are looking for an Asian woman in a foreign country, the search engines below are the best tools for you to find your dream woman. The women are educated, responsive and beautiful. Try your search today, and start emailing women in Asia today!" This page even includes links for men to obtain fiance visas.

It is inconceivable to me that you, as an Asian woman yourself, would support the mail-order bride business. Most of these brides are recruited from the most destitute parts of Asia and come to this country unable to speak English and unaware of immigration law. The buyers are most often older white men who are looking for women as servants and sex partners.

In 2000, the Philippine Women's Centre of British Columbia conducted a study of Filipino mail-order brides and found that 80% of the women were from the poorest rural regions in the Philippines. In most cases, Filipino women are pushed abroad by the need to provide a livelihood for their families. The women are often isolated and scared; many become virtual slaves in their own homes. The incidence of violence against mail-order brides is high, but these battered wives don't dare report the abuse because their husbands threaten to have them deported if they do.

Your pornographic "Asian Fetish" page in the "Love Advice" section promotes lewd sexual fantasies about Asian massage parlors: "I am a white male professional and when the urge strikes I enjoy dressing up in thongs and going to the Asian massage parlors...These massage parlors are all over going under some name like Asian Massage or something like that and they are staffed by good looking young Asian women. It is my understanding that the parlors are organized nationwide and that the girls move around. In any event if you want more than a massage you tip extra."

By featuring stories on your site about Asian female sex workers in massage parlors, you are implying a tacit approval of the sex trade. In November 1999, the CIA completed a report that found that 50,000 women and children from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe are lured to the United States each year. Traffickers use a variety of methods-from physical force to tranquilizing drugs-to make these women prostitute themselves. Most often, though, traffickers use powerful threats, telling the victims that if they try to run away their families will be harmed or that U.S. authorities will capture, torture and deport them. The women are often subjected to beatings and even forced abortions.
    
I am sickened that you willingly support the exploitation of your fellow Asian women in this manner.

In disgust,

Carmen Van Kerckhove
Co-Founder, EurasianNation