Residents report that in recent months, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of female sex workers openly visible on the main roads and in popular restaurants in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, which remains under the control of the military junta.
Due to security concerns, most of Sittwe’s residents, including business owners and the wealthy, have fled to safer areas, leaving behind only manual laborers and the impoverished in the town.
Residents report that due to the prolonged lockdown in the town, locals are facing unemployment, livelihood challenges, and financial hardship, leading to hunger. As a result, some women have turned to sex work as a means of earning an income.
More than 10 local residents from Sittwe reported that female sex workers have been openly seen in various locations around the town, including the Wai Thar Li football ground, the highway bus terminal area, near the Old Age Home, along Strand Road, at the BXT jetty, near the Shwe Pyithar bus station, and at several well-known restaurants in the town.
A local man from Sittwe said, “I didn’t see them before, but now I see many sex workers. At night, I see them here and there. They are women of all ages, some in their 30s and 40s. They even approach people, touching them to offer their services. They call out to people.”
According to local residents, in the past, sex workers were only seen in designated areas, but now they are seen openly in groups.
In addition, a private Telegram channel titled ‘Date Girls Only’ from Sittwe has recently emerged.
A Sittwe resident, Ko Maung Maung (pseudonym), said, “I experienced it myself. She said, Just take me wherever you like and pay only 10,000 kyat.”
Previously, the price per session ranged from 25,000 to 100,000 kyats, but now it is only 10,000 to 15,000 kyats per session.
The primary clients of sex workers are said to be police and soldiers, including junta troops who patrol at night.
A man from Sittwe continued, saying, “In well-known restaurants in Sittwe, it’s quite open. The main clients are police officers, soldiers, and even captains. In some cases, these women are taken to abandoned homes.
Currently, in Sittwe, the prices of one liter of fuel are 17,000 kyats, one bag of Paw San Hmwe rice is 250,000 kyats, and one liter of cooking oil is 12,000 kyats.
A woman from Sittwe said that due to the severe impact of hunger caused by rising commodity prices and unemployment, some women in certain wards of Sittwe have turned to sex work as a means of survival.
“A woman from [—] ward has to go outside after beautifying herself. She has two children. She has to do this work because she couldn’t bear her children’s hunger. When I found out she was doing this, it felt like I was stabbed in the chest. It’s so heartbreaking that I don’t even dare to blame her,” said a woman from [—] ward in Sittwe.
On the other hand, manual laborers and impoverished locals in the suburbs of Sittwe are facing severe hunger.
Fighting has been ongoing in Arakan State for over a year, and currently, only three towns remain to be captured by the AA: Sittwe, Manaung, and Kyaukphyu.
A woman from a local civil society organization, who wished to remain anonymous, said that due to frequent clashes between the military council and the AA in Sittwe, the situation has become unstable in terms of the economy, livelihood, and healthcare, forcing people to struggle and resort to various means to survive.
The emergence of sex workers in such a visible way could have both positive and negative impacts.
On one hand, it might help reduce sexual violence against children, as sex workers may serve as outlets for relieving sexual urges.
On the other hand, due to the possibility of unprotected sexual activity with sex workers, the risk of HIV transmission could increase through such encounters.
“On the other hand, we’ve heard that there’s a shortage of HIV and TB medications in Sittwe, which makes the situation quite worrying for these sex workers,” said a woman from an Arakanese civil society organization, who wished to remain anonymous.
The woman continued, saying, “In situations like this, where people struggle to meet basic needs, there is a growing risk that even underage children could become involved as sex slaves, and health concerns among sex workers could also become increasingly serious, she continued.
Analysts say that if the current situation continues, manual laborers and the impoverished in Sittwe will be worse off, and sex workers will also face increasingly difficult conditions.
Currently, there are frequent clashes between the military council and the AA in Sittwe Township, with airstrikes and artillery fire.
By DMG