PROFESSIONAL REALIZATION AMONG FEMALE SEX WORKERS

A Case Study of Street Based Sex Workers of Kathmandu

I have come to post the summery, conclusion and recommendation of my dissertation, Professional REALIZATION AMONG FEMALE SEX WORKERS: A CASE STUDY OF STREET BASED SEX WORKER OF KATHMANDU”, that I submitted to Tribhuvan University for the Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Master Degree of Arts Degree in April, 2003. Though we have passed almost 6 years since then, as a community development worker, I see no positive change in the situation of the women at-most-risk. So I think the document is still relevant and hope that concerned agencies and people can find important issue related with the sex workers from it.

1. Summary

The urban centers are emerging as the hub of the sex trade, where women are installed into a machinery process to mould them to fit in the sex racket. One very recent study states “… there are about 6,000 sex worker in Pokhara” (THT, 2003). Several studies previously have proved the existence of sex workers in the Kathmandu valley. The sex workers are purely human beings, but made to absorb the profession by deteriorating socio-economic condition of the country and, no doubt, some sects of human beings themselves are fueling the situation to aflame. But they are extremely conditioned to work as non-human beings. This study, thus, is keenly focused on the street based sex workers (SBSWs) of the Kathmandu.

This study is based on field survey, the data and information of which are taken from the SBSWs with a semi-structured questionnaire for the insider’s viewpoint. The study has adopted the purposive sampling and 20% of the total population of 150 SBSWs, who have already identified themselves as street based sex workers. This came out to be 30 women who were spotted in the field and residents where they were interviewed. The data collected from them were also verified with the data from observation and key informants for the outsiders’ viewpoint. The collected data and information are analyzed by using percentage and tables.

Under the conceptual framework, it was analyzed that sexually active women are guided to the sex profession by pushing and pulling factors of the society. It is an easy way for them to earn money, but there are several constraints too, which always makes them reflect on their profession. But the factors leading to them to the profession are so strong that the constraints are felt to be loosened. The professional realization might thus proceed since, they can hardly return back from their profession. This study attempts to explore, analyze and describe the very matter of; professional realization amongst the street based sex workers of the Kathmandu Valley. Specifically the objects are.

q To analyze the background and the present social and economic status of the SBSWs

q To assess the knowledge and attitudes of the SBSWs towards STI, HIV and AIDS and contraceptive and condom use.

q To highlight the types of clients, and SBSW’s sexual behaviour with the clients.

q To explore the reasons and period for SBSWs entering the sex profession, the problems they faced in the profession and their realizations towards the profession

……………….. are the places, which were previously in the media coverage as centers for SBSWs. These places are junctions for people from different field to pass through and come around for various purposes: marketing, refreshing, waiting for appointments and so forth. A large number of people are also seen to come with the purpose of quenching the thirst of sexual desire too. Those who have a view to see these matters can see bargaining activity in different points. This proves that several centers are becoming favourable places for sex workers to solicit the clients with the sexual thirst across the valley and the majority of them using the lodges for sexual intercourse, though they have to pay higher amounts from what they earn.

The SBSWs are from different part of the country, as 83.33% respondents are from the outside the valley. Of the total population, 63.33% is illiterate and the heads of 50% of the respondents’ households are illiterate. Thus, the educational background of the respondents is not good and significant numbers of family heads are either illiterate or just have primary level education or only a few of them have a secondary level of education. The respondents are distributed across different caste or ethnic and religious groups.

Ninety three percent of the respondents have been married, but only 60% were found still married. Some of them were still with their husbands, but they do not have harmonious relationships with their husband due to the economic situation of the family and the drinking and pressing habits of their husbands among others. Thirty percent are divorced or separated and 3.33% are widowed. The marriage age of 46.67% of the respondents falls below the age of 16 years, 75% of them had got married before the age of 20 years. Ten percent of them were pitiably even below the age of 11 when they had had first sexual contact. Including those still unmarried, the average age of the respondents’ first sex contact falls at the ages of 16 to 17 years, the age when they had still not crossed the stage of adolescence. The picture becomes disgraceful when the respondents attribute it to the forceful rape. Direct rape cases were found among 6.67% of the respondents while the other 10% had first sexual contacts with relatives.

The family occupation of respondents varies, like agriculture (33.33%), wage labour (23.33%), service, store keeping (10%), and others (23.33%). Most of the respondents’ (56.67%) family occupation was not satisfactory, as being agriculture and wage labour while those employed in a foreign country have been separated for more than 4 years. Due to various reasons, most of the respondents have children relying on them; or in case of some respondents, they were providing support to families in the countryside. Respondents seemed to have harmonious relationships of the very good category with the family and husband. Most of the respondents reported bad and okay relationships and quite a small percent of the respondents had relationships of the good category with the husband and family. Some respondents had escaped from their houses many years ago due to discontent in the families, while some of them (6.67%) had remarried after having long term quarrels with the first husband. Thirty Three percent reported to have entered their profession after marriage, while 30% after their divorce. Though the respondents showed various reasons for entering this profession, the main reason for entering the profession is for fulfilling the family requirement, as there is no second alternative for livelihood. Only 3.33% percent reported that her sexual contact was initiated with the client.

There were many different situations and stories that the respondents stated had compelled them to follow this profession. It did not happen over night or in a day and without any reason. It is because they generate income so easily, what someone expects in this profession. After coming to the profession, they had faced several hurdles. They have to remain or be mobile in the market place where they can find someone who recognizes them and be shameful if it becomes known about their profession. Sixty three percent of respondents were mobile and the remaining 36.67 % were confined to one place. They had no appropriate place for the sexual intercourse other than lodge (86.67%), where they had to pay more than Rs.200 out of the amount gained from selling their flesh rudely to clients (rude in the sense that out of the total 105 responses on the client’s behaviour, 45% negative behaviours were recorded from the respondents.). They reported that only in some cases the SBSWs had a chance to walk to the clients’ room. Three fourths of the respondents were recorded to be abused by the clients in the last six months, despite being aware of these possibilites. The abuses ranged from the looting of money, clothes and jewelry, forcing them to submit to whatever position the clients wanted, gang sex, mutilation and not giving money as agreed. Frequent police raids had to be faced in the street as well as in the lodges, making the situation further problematic.

As for the sexual activity, 50% of the respondents reported that they did not use to care about the sexual desire of the client. Majority of respondents replied that they just came to the profession for money and for that ……………….

The risk of STI was always there and recently HIV infection has also created a pressing situation amongst the sex workers, since unsafe sex with an HIV-infected patient is one of the modes of its transmission from one person to another. As most of the respondents were illiterate as aforementioned, awareness among them is a difficult job; it involves a long time, even in the case of the educated, to disseminate the knowledge of STI and HIV/AIDS properly. The majority of respondents (96.67%), however, have knowledge of STI and HIV/AIDS and the treatment of STI (100%) was also recorded satisfactorily due to the endeavors of the organization working in the respective field. It is possible the non-symptomatic STI remained unseen and unknown to the respondents. They have now started to go for check-ups, even though they do not have such suspicions. But the contraceptive use (40%) and consistent condom use (66.67%) was not satisfactorily found among the respondents. This indicates that the prevailence of STI and HIV/AIDS was higher among them. All of the respondents reported that clients do not like to use condom due to reduction in pleasure. But some respondents reported clients coming with condoms in their pockets these days.

Information/knowledge about the modes of transmission was found in the majority of the numbers. Ninety Three percent knew of unsafe sex with the person with HIV, 83.33% of HIV infected blood, 93.33 % of injection used by HIV positive and 73% of HIV positive mother to child. However, 86.67% of the respondents knew the use of condom as the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Half of the respondents replied that avoiding multi-sex partners and still 10% replied using other family planning methods, as methods of prevention of HIV/AIDS. Still, 3.33% remained unaware of modes of transmission and the methods of preventing it.

The pregnancy of the respondents was also reported. Out of the 30 respondents, 23.33% have got pregnant from sexual intercourse with the clients. Most of them had aborted the foetus. One respondent was found pregnant during the interview, it was one of the people who reported that her client was only using condom sometimes or not consistently. Her husband was reported to be employed in foreign country but she was thinking of giving birth to the baby for it had already been seven months.

The attitude of the ordinary people was not reported as favoring to them. Over half reported that they were hated in the society, while some reported that they did not care. Only a few respondents (6.67%) reported a feeling of having love from their neighbors. Only 53.33% had a good feeling about the profession, yet 30% feels bad and 16.67% just okay. The level of satisfaction in the profession varies: 53.33% reported they were satisfied but 43.33% were not satisfied. Similarly 33.33% of the respondents wanted to continue this sex profession. Contrarily, 36.67% wanted to leave, 20% had not decided at the time and 10% reported they could leave at any time.

Coming to the point of the idea of the respondents on liberating and organizing the sex trade, 83.33% of the respondents were in favour of it, while 16.67% were not found convinced with the idea and they fairly opposed the idea. Those favouring the idea replied that the organizing and liberating of the profession would not allow them to live in fear, ordinary people would not hate them, police would not arrest them unnecessarily. Those opposing the idea suspected that there would be an increment in the number of sex workers resulting in deterioration in the set socio-cultural and traditional values of the society.

 

2. Conclusion

On the basis of the finding of the study, one can derive the conclusion as given below:

Women from different caste, ethnic and religious background and come from different parts of the country are attracted by the lucrative business of sex work of Kathmandu and other urban affluent areas of the country for various reasons. The socio-economic, socio-politic and socio-biology in general and massive poverty, abject illiteracy, soaring unemployment situation in particular are behind the thriving situation of the sex trade in Nepal.

The sex business historically came into existence with the emergence of family and marriage systems in the social development process. But it was traditionally confined to the high caste, elites and landlords who used to exploit women belonging to the lower socio-economic strata, but now it has touched the general public that came with the globalization, urbanization and economic development systems triggering widespread expansion of the sex trade in the society. The concentration of economic activities in the urban centers have left other rural areas marginalized in every respect thus paving way to people migrating from their villages to the urban areas including Kathmandu which have been turned into the hubs of sex trade. The massive flow of women into sex work is because of unemployment and thus finding no other alternatives for providing even two square meals to the family, especially for their dearest own, viz. children. In the context of Nepal, the majority of the sex workers have two options at their disposal: either to commit suicide or to get involved in sex business. But they are also aware of the social stigma attached to it.

Sex workers are usually blamed for the social insecurities, other misbehaviors and conditioned to set into the corner as the “fallen” ones in societies. But the data in fact reveals that, despite social stigma and discrimination against them they are serving the clients from different walks of life in the current society. If HMG or any actor in the urban areas abruptly stops the kind of the business they are carrying out, its repercussion in the society would be unimaginable. In view of the aggressive behavior of male stock of people who are in satisfying their momentary sexual desires might be further aggressive which may have impact upon the normal women who may be walking in the streets regardless of time and places. The data favors a saying that there is a possibility that we would witness more incidents of rapes and other sexual harassments in urban centers. Even people who are supposed to be giving protection to the ordinary people are indulging themselves into having contacts with women. They are powerful people and are the ones who have immense desires and they might opt for a different option, which may turn into rape and harassment cases.

The awareness of STI, HIV and AIDS is in the rise among sex workers. It is noteworthy that consistent and correct condom use is probably the only way for preventing HIV and STI transmission. Despite the awareness programmes in this area, they have still not consistently practiced safer methods and thus still are in the high risk for transmission of STI and HIV. Solidarity and empowerment activities among themselves might create amicable situation for them to refrain from the abuse and hatred associated with the profession and at the same time to adopt the sex methods thereby reducing the risk of STI and HIV infection cases in the societies resulting from sexual contacts with multiple partners.

The term “prostitution” (Besyabriti in Nepali) has been generally used for the sexual activity opted for money and other benefits and “prostitute” (Besya in Nepali) as an identity, for a life long period, to the women involved in the sex business. But people, in recent times, have started to replace the term “prostitute” with “sex worker” (Yaunkarmi in Nepali) from the professional viewpoint. The possibility of interpretation of sex worker as an occupation rather than identity is in the card with the likelihood that they will no more remain as a prostitute or sex worker once they give up the profession. The sex workers have started to take their activities as their profession and also realize the social conditioning that has impacts upon them. The emerging professional realization, in changed social context, among the street based sex workers, is undoubtedly unprecedented and in effect they might enter into the mainstream of the society and put their potentialities in the social development.

Since a large chunk of women has already joined this profession and others are in the process of entering into it, there seem no other options than to recognize them and their profession. It is high time that the practice and behaviours of the state machineries including the police administration, court and other actors should abide by Nepal’s current constitution and agendas of international conventions associated with the sex workers’ rights. The sex workers should be treated as human beings as well as a segment of the sovereign people of the country. By the same token, they also should have a right to the concept of the fruit of the law-governed society. Had the socio-economic development of the country had in a right track, the number of women fixed in the trade would have reduced and the pouring of the women into the trade would have automatically diverted to a different direction in their favor. Recognizing the sex trade as the profession is a new phenomenon and a challenging one for a country like Nepal and appears non-conventional too, but may be one and the only way to change the prevailing unsympathetic situation in the society.

 

3. Recommendation

Sex workers

q As sex workers are increasingly found to have absorbed sex work as their profession, they will be expected to strictly consider all the things that are relating to their profession, including the things which hampering to people other than themselves. After all they are the part of the society, and thus they must always be taking the well-being of society into account as well.

q As they are being made aware of STI, HIV and AIDS, it is also expected that they will practice safer sex and take precautions since the spreading of STI, HIV and AIDS will also threaten their profession.

q The issue of girl child and women trafficking has soared in the country for several decades; most of them were related to the sex trade in the cities of neighbouring countries. Such cases have however not yet been found in case of the sex trade in Kathmandu and other urbans of the country. Sex workers must not attract or lure the other naive women and girl children to the sex profession. This can restructure the social set up with dire consequence of breaking the norms and values of society as well as normal human rights situation of the country.

q Sex workers are conditioned to remain on the sideline from the mainstream of the society. Sex workers and other people are the two sides of the coin even though they are its first victims. If once they endeavor to walk alongside the mainstream of the society, how long other people will be successful in putting them further to that condition.

 

Development organizations and workers

q The study found that the recent endeavors of the development organizations are encouraging and this has brought momentum on the issues of STI, HIV/AIDS and sex work. But the majority of these organizations confine their work merely to health related issues, proving that they are not really concentrated on the crux of the issue and engaged in the transformation of society.

q The sex workers are the by-product of the socio-economic phenomenon and process. As such organizations are considered to be one of the vehicles of the development in society, they should be attentive to confirm and address the root causes of the problem and act accordingly.

q The development organizations should be involved in many levels, from the grassroots level to national level advocacy workshops in favour of the sex worker’s rights issue, against girl’s trafficking, against sexual abuse and other issues relating to the sex workers.

Government body and political party

q The increasing number of sex workers in the valley and across the country has primarily resulted from abject poverty, massive illiteracy, shortage of the implementation of human resource development programs for rural people, unemployment and market oriented programs and policies. The government and political bodies must formulate the programs and policies which emphasize poverty alleviation, free education, imparting vocational and community-based skill oriented trainings and education, creating employment opportunities in local and national levels. The implementation part of these programs and policies should be accountable towards the target people. If socio-economic development process takes its own course, women opted for the sex business automatically direct towards their favourable profession and no other people should have to forcefully stick them to follow any direction.

q The sex profession is an age-old issue, and it has now become fixed in the society as a part of the employment sector for those who are poor and less educated. Thus legalization and provision for organized sex trade in the law must be done to help helping to those who have already entered the sex profession. This will be helpful to them to take it as a profession. When the sex workers begin to realize sex work as their profession, they will certainly give concern to their career and profession. This will no doubt help in controlling over the alarmingly spread of STI, HIV and AIDS across the world.

q The literature review reveals that blame should be placed on the politicians, police, army and other ruling bodies for giving rise to the sex trade through their involvement in the activities like the girl trafficking, catering of women in wars in Nepal and being clients across the world. The ruling bodies and their mechanisms, which are considered to be leading the society and nation, need to perform consistent behavior toward all walks of life including women.

q The government should formulate, revise and practice rules and regulations to address the issues like the girl trafficking, sexual abuse and management of the sex trade, and mechanise to implement them effectively.