Sex work is definitely a complex issue, and we should respect their lives rather than choose to stigmatize their work.

Their eyes are empty but they still see the tender, their faces were painted with sophisticated make-up, and they wore blouses and robes to walk in secluded dark alleys; they smiled and winked at the passing buyers, most of them not more than 18 years old, and most had more than five years of working experience.

They are Bangladeshi sex workers, and for them the night is the beginning of a whole day's work, and their nights are so long.

In the northeast of Bangladesh Tangail County (tangail) of the Kandapara slum, as powerful as, you can see such a confusing scene, confused alley like a maze, sex workers in order to make life non-stop, after all such a night, to find someone to accompany the man from a lot. The same was seen in the capital of Dhaka, Bangladesh, a few hours ' drive away. (Recommended reading: behind the boom, have you ever heard of a cage house in Hong Kong?) )

"I've been doing sex work for seven years and I've been taking steroids since then, so it's a far cry from that," he said. "The 17-year-old hash was lured by merchants to sell to Kandapara brothels seven years ago," he said. Under the force of the pimp began to take steroids regularly, so that they look more mature and rich, more attractive to buy spring visitors attention.

The hash is not a case, the steroid called Oradexon, which was originally used to ripen livestock, was inexpensive and did not require a doctor's prescription, and thus became a "health drug" in a Bangladeshi brothel where pimps lured young prostitutes. The girls who entered the brothel at a young age almost had a jar of hands. (also to see: Why do I choose to shoot a film?) AV Actress's confession )


The same 17-year-old prostitute Nazma with his son in a small room.


The 16-year-old prostitute, Maya, smeared lipstick. Most of them will learn to cover their age with makeup in their 10-somethings.


The steroids ripen and they wait for the mature body.

The fullness, maturity and sophistication of these prostitutes are in exchange for steroids and growing uncomfortable experiences.

"I'm stronger than I was before and I can pick up a lot of guests a day. Sometimes 15 a day is not a problem. "The hash side of the side will be artificial mole affixed to the forehead, looks very charming but also reveals a few helpless."


Hashi pulled the guests into the room and the other Maya waited for tonight's guests.


Afterwards, Hashi in the small room to talk with the guests. Many sex workers have regular regulars.

The night is long, but a one-off transaction can only be exchanged for 50 of towers (equivalent to NT $18), and many girls have to exchange more money for more. in Bangladesh, sex work was actually legal, but it was not a secret that the child prostitutes who had entered the brothel as young as 10 years before the legal age of prostitution were 18. (Recommended reading:"I just want to be an ordinary woman" comfort women Grandma Life Pain )


Many prostitutes have a "husband" outside the brothel, and they use the provision of sex services in exchange for the "husband's" gatekeeper protection.

Mukti, 12 years old, had to put a thick makeup on his face before receiving the guests.


Hashi with his "husband."

The Government's disregard for the established legislation and the safety of the prostitutes who have been given a close look at the police, let these prostitutes become more and more like the anonymous in the city, they can only hide between the lane, they are no longer important, their bodies are a kind of exchange, they are hypocritical social rejection, they are difficult to return to the family, Only in the dark night to engage in repeated transactions, difficult to see daylight.

"Many people believe that once they see our faces, they will be tainted with sin and their prayers will no longer be accepted by Allah," he said. 」

"If we leave the brothel, we lose our home and we will not survive." 」

Behind every sex worker, there are stories. If you do not understand, please join us to see the documentary film "Bangladesh: Sex workers Justice Bangladesh-brothel Justice" by VSO

The film begins with the Story of Stuggle and hope. Record their struggles for life and their desire for the future. For this group of sex workers, brothels are their home, where they grow up and perceive the world. The family here is not necessarily the original, the concept of the family is complex to build, sister love does not necessarily have siblings, the children here are a lot of women to raise together, the feeling here is one.

In brothels, this bloody place marked "sex" is a chaotic but real existence for those who are truly in it.

The tragedy in Bangladesh is the lack of a perfect law to protect the rights of this group of sex workers, not the women who have traded their bodies for food and clothing. Of course, many people are abducted and sold to brothels, but there are also people who choose to survive in the harsh environment that they have not been guaranteed to survive.

"People deny our value because we are sex workers, but we work hard," he said. 」

Five years ago, they set themselves up as self-governing Manjurani Begum, creating a safer future for themselves and bringing strength to themselves. At the same time, the Bangladesh Women's Health Association (Bangladesh Women's Health Coalition), a non-governmental organization, is also active in providing health services for AIDS prevention among sex workers, sending condoms along the household, and safeguarding the physical health of workers. they are using a down-to-earth pace, step-by-step solution to the problems inherent in the latent.

After watching this documentary, Perhaps what we should think about is that, given the name sex workers, why do we not see their contribution as output? While we feel grief and indignation for the prostitutes ' lives, should we pay more attention to their work rights as sex workers? Perhaps what we should do is not to make an outcry about sex should not be legal, but more actively to pay attention to how to improve the safety of prostitutes, how to protect the rights of prostitutes, how to promote safe behavior. (Recommended reading: Three film female director: All for the woman's "sex" Life )

Sex work is definitely a complex issue, but sex workers have their stories, and we should respect their lives rather than choose to stigmatize their work. Bangladesh is only one example, we believe that the world's story will never be less, in Taiwan or elsewhere, for the hidden in the dark of the sex workers, we want to be the highest respect, we hope that the people can listen to their voices more attentively.