Teen stripper's mother: the show will go on

By ROSALEEN MACBRAYNE

ROTORUA - A mother who has sanctioned her 16-year-old daughter stripping in front of an audience at a Rotorua massage and striptease club is unrepentant.

"I don't care what people think. I don't give a continental," she said yesterday. "What is the big deal? She is not committing any crime. She is not working as a hooker."

The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she and the girl's father had condoned her entering a competition at Alexandra's Massage Sauna and Strip Club because the stripping was done "tastefully" and the performers were in a supervised area protected from being groped.

The parents would not have consented if they had thought the girl would be unsafe but the club had tight security and high standards of behaviour.

The mother said her daughter - who is shunning the limelight off-stage - was determined to win the $1000 prize in the competition so she could compile a portfolio and launch a modelling career.

To critics who claimed the girl's involvement was not morally acceptable, even if it broke no law, the mother demanded: "Whose morals? They have no right to judge. If I had the body, I would be out to win $1000 too."

She said her daughter, the eldest of four children, had been brought up to be honest and trustworthy, respectful of others and "true to herself."

She was an independent young adult who had recently left school and gone flatting, working part-time in restaurants.

As well as aspiring to be a model, the girl also wanted to study law. Her mother saw the 10-minute routine for the first time on Friday night when she accompanied the girl to the first heat of the contest. The teenager was chosen as one of seven finalists - the others were mostly in their mid-twenties. They will perform again on June 2.

Club owner Alex said she was a longtime friend of the teenager's mother and the girl was "a real sweetie." Alex said she had been reluctant at first to let the 16-year-old enter the contest but backed down once the legal position had been checked.

Rotorua Youth Aid officer Sergeant Jim Harvey said no laws were being broken and all the police could do was refer the case to Child, Youth and Family Services.

He said the club owner was not taking advantage of young girls and was fulfilling all her responsibilities closely.

"I cannot point the finger at the club in any way. But would you let your 16-year-old daughter take part in a striptease competition? I certainly wouldn't."