Mawlamyine, November (25)
Some female sex workers from illegal massage parlors and sex services in Mon State have gone missing after being taken by members of the Military Council, women’s rights activists told Than Lwin Times.
After the military coup, members of the military council told the heads of the massage services to take the female sex workers away, and sometimes they threatened to do so.
Some of the female sex workers who were taken by regime forces have not returned and are disappearing, raising concerns about their safety, said a source who assist women’s affairs.
“The parlor owners have no power to stop the soldiers. Among those who were called out, there were girls who did not return. No one complains about it. The owners said that their staff had disappeared. No one really knows for sure whether these girls are missing or in danger. There are about three or four of such incidents,” she said.
The massage parlor operators are unable to say exactly where the missing female sex workers are, nor do they dare to ask the troops who took them about the girls.
According to a female sex worker, sex service operators currently pay more than ten lakhs to troops, but when they arrive at the parlor, they do not pay and commit violent acts.
After the military coup, the current female sex workers not only have to bribe the police, but are no longer as safe as before and are facing more violence.
In the past, female sex workers were able to report violence and disappearances, but now they face situations where they may be arrested if they report.
In Mon State, there are approximately 800 people who engage in sexual activity for a payment, and due to the military council’s curfew order, the sex workers are struggling to make a living.
News-Than Lwin Times
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