I would be interested in hearing what the "Sex Workers Organisation" is doing rather than hearing about Cho Htet's fears with "drug addicts and alcoholics" as clients.
Jamie
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Sex work, three feet apart
Phoe Wa
Myanmar Times
5 June 2020
The "three-feet-apart disease" – a term some use to refer to the coronavirus – affects more than just regular shops, restaurants and tea shops.
Occupations which rely on human-to-human touch, such as physiotherapists, dentists and even masseurs have become much more complicated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This also includes the oldest profession in the world, prostitution.
The social distancing protocols, as advised by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation, make sex work almost impossible.
Ma Cho Thet [not her real name] is a sex worker in Yangon. She found it difficult to continue working during the pandemic, as all the hotels, hostels and guesthouses were closed. Even places to meet clients, such as massage parlours, bars and KTV businesses, were off limits.
Though some have chosen to advertise discretely online, via Facebook groups and in chat rooms, these online fora are not so popular in Myanmar.
No longer able to work under the protection of her "boss", Ma Cho Thet decided to take more risks to find clients. She found herself with alcoholics and drug addicts; at times she thought she'd be abused, raped, assaulted or even killed.
"It's all very slipshod and dangerous now," Ma Cho Thet said.
Among local clients the "normal rate" is anywhere from K15,000 to K30,000 but many sex workers have reduced their prices to K5,000 during the COVID-19 outbreak. Even when sex workers find a client, they still face the difficulty of finding a safe place to service clients.
Another added stress is that, as their work is illegal, police vigilance is higher than normal during the pandemic. Everyone knows that sex work is against the law, but pragmatists know that – in reality – it's impossible to outlaw.
"It's like standing in a tight corner. This pandemic is a very bad time for us," she added.
Many Myanmar people believe that prostitution is a form of punishment, doled out as a result of wrongdoings committed in a past life. Though generally tolerated, sex workers are seldom given public support or sympathy – this is especially true during the pandemic.
It's typically NGOs and medical organisations that want to help or reach out to sex workers in Myanmar, rather than local charities or individuals.
There is an estimated 500 sex workers in Yangon, according to an organisation assisting call-girls, prostitutes and those who provide "erotic massages".
"We have the goods and services to sell, but no one is able to buy," said Ma Hnin Hnin Yu, the head of the Yangon-based Sex Worker's Organisation.
Many charity groups focus on the "visible" workers in the city, such as trishaw drivers and street venders. But after reading a story about factory workers turning to the sex work after losing their jobs in Yangon, Ko Kyaw Kyaw, founder of the Food Not Bombs Myanmar project, decided to redirect some of his organisation's resources.
Unfamiliar with the industry, he decided to interview several sex workers to find out more about their daily lives. After meeting in person and chatting on the phone, he arranged several donations.
"They seemed very depressed, and I was surprised that many were so young too. It was sad to see them," Ko Kyaw Kyaw said.
Some people tarnish sex workers as being liars, untrustworthy and deceitful. "It's hard to work with someone if you have those views," said Ko Kyaw Kyaw. "We try not to look at them with suspicion, but treat them with dignity. Yes, they may lie – but the truth is that they are in trouble," he added.
The organisation also provided them with rice, oil, instant noodles, beans and some clothing – supplies intended to last for three weeks.
Recently Food Not Bombs joined-up with Doh Eain, the urban redevelopment organisation, to help provide cash transfers to out-of-work street workers and vendors affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. Part of the project involves registering workers in a database, and providing cash donations via WavePay.
The precariousness of sex work in Myanmar makes it difficult for other organisations to help in such a direct way, but these outreach efforts may help to create greater understanding between sex workers and the rest of Myanmar society.
For those interested in finding out more about the campaign, make sure to visit: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/food-not-bombs-myanmar-covid-19-response
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/sex-work-three-feet-apart.html
