Socio Demographic Configuration of the Sex Labour Trade in Bangladesh: Income Expenditure Portfolio of the Sex Workers

Abstract

This paper explores socio demographic configuration of sex trade in Bangladesh along with income expenditure portfolio of sex workers and uncover the ordeal face of them. This is a mixed method study; 180 randomly selected respondents of three categories of sex workers (hotel, brothel and floating) are interviewed for quantitative section and for qualitative part four (4) focus group dissuasions (FDG) are arranged where 133 respondents participated in discussion. Result shows that child prostitution is quite prevalent, 43% started selling sex labour before age of 16. Half of respondents are divorced/separated/widowed, 54% are illiterate. Hotel based sex workers meet with highest number of clients a day, it varies from 18 to 20 per day and night on an average and they work almost 20 hours a day. Sex workers hardly can manage a safe and reliable place to deposit money; that discourage them savings; 27% deposit money at home, 26% deposit to friends, 23% deposit to husband/man with whom she lives. 82.2% have no savings, in the contrary 42% have personal loan, only 13% have bank account and 58% have national ID. A good number of sex workers want to be re-integrated with mainstream society but no re-integration process exists. About 79% are aware of HIV but practice level is far beyond, only 47% use condom though it is used inconsistently. Most of them believe that having drugs and alcohol may increase tangibility of entertaining more clients in a day and as a result drug addiction rate is high. Study recommends for smooth re-integration and alternative livelihood for sex workers. The study would also like to give an in depth picture of the every day life of sex worker so that relevant stakes can work for them to ensure an abuse and exploitation free day and night for them.

Keywords: brothel based, economic exploitation floating, hotel based, sex worker