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Unsexy realities of sex work 

25 Oct 2022

  • From dwindling clients to lower charges, sex workers bemoan impact of economic crisis
BY Sumudu Chamara While religious, cultural, and traditional ideologies continue to lock horns with sex work, which is often recognised as “the world’s oldest profession”, the sector has thrived throughout history across the globe due to the constant demand from predominantly male consumers.  However, in the Sri Lankan context, this wholly informal sector is struggling to survive due to the ongoing economic crisis. To examine the impacts of the crisis on this profession and the measures that have been taken to keep it alive, The Morning spoke to several persons engaged in sex work.  A sector on the verge of collapse? The Morning spoke to several sex workers, some of whom are engaged in sex work on a part-time basis. They all lamented that their clientele has shrunk considerably during the past three months, compelling them to either increase their charges or seek alternative sources of income. However, due to the prevailing economic situation, those alternatives do not look very promising either, according to them.  “In a context where people are wondering how to feed their families, sexual gratification is the last thing they would be seeking. I had clients who used to obtain my services two to three times a week. But now, they do not even see me once in two weeks,” said Iresha Perera*, a 34-year-old sex worker based in Mount Lavinia. When questioned as to whether she has discussed the reasons that have led to this situation with her clients, Perera added: “Some of my clients have been honest enough to disclose that information. According to them, it is purely due to economic issues. Before July, I charged Rs. 10,000 per hour for my services, which I had to increase to Rs. 16,000 per hour. Many of my clients have expressed displeasure about this. Some of them even requested services at the old rate, which I was unable to entertain. Overall, it is the increased charges that have triggered a decrease in the number of clients that seek my services.” Meanwhile, Janaki Silva*, a 26-year-old sex worker based in Nugegoda, said that while the number of clients she deals with has declined, there is now a tendency among clients to request fewer services for a lower amount of money. She explained: “I charge Rs. 20,000 for a one-and-a-half-hour session. Until last month, it used to be Rs. 15,000, and the increase in charges is a result of the economic difficulties. There is a significant decline in the number of clients that obtain my services. In addition, some clients have started requesting shorter sessions, i.e. a session of one hour, at the previous rates. I also have clients that ask for fewer services for the previous rate.” She added that due to the necessity of maintaining her client base, she has decided to introduce new packages of fewer services or shorter durations at the previous rates, and that it is becoming popular among her clients.  Another notable development is sex workers leaving the sector. Both Perera and Silva said that a number of sex workers have already left the industry mainly due to the lack of income and lack of clients. They added that many women who work in Colombo as sex workers are originally from rural areas of Matara, Anuradhapura, Kandy, and Kurunegala, and that many of them have either returned to their hometowns, or are seeking various other employment opportunities. “We will also have to find another job soon,” the duo said, adding however that it is unlikely that they would excel in another profession, because they have no experience or knowledge in other fields.  Going online to survive  According to those who spoke with The Morning, some of the changes this industry saw in the wake of the economic crisis involve the increased use of online platforms. These platforms are used to both provide services and to reach out to more customers. According to Anusha Fernando*, 31-year-old sex worker based in Piliyandala, online platforms would play an integral part of sex work in the future. “I used to advertise my services online. Earlier, it cost me around Rs. 9,000 a month, even though it has now increased to around Rs. 17,000-18,000 a month. It is quite effective, as we can reach out to potential clients that are seeking sex workers, but were not in contact with sex workers before. This is not a new development. Several sex workers known to me used to advertise online seeking clients. However, with the economic issues that have impacted our line of work, many sex workers have started advertising their services online.” Meanwhile, in response to the question as to whether online advertisements have helped them attract new customers, Silva said that even though new clients reach out to her, it has not helped her make the same amount of money that she earned before the economic crisis (before July this year). “There are new clients, some of whom have explicitly mentioned that they found out about my services through the advertisements I had placed online. This is a good development in a context where my client base has become smaller. However, the income I earn through new clients is still not adequate to cover the income I have lost due to the clients that have stopped or reduced obtaining my services.” In this context, she said, even though online advertisements have helped her continue her profession through attracting new clients, these advertisements are unlikely to save the stability of her profession. She expressed fears that at some point, she would have to pursue newer employment opportunities. In this context, more and more people seem to obtain the services of sex workers online as opposed to traditional physical services, which, most of the time, are less expensive than physical services. This is done through various video communication apps, but the services clients can obtain are limited and are non-physical. This trend, which is becoming more popular due the economic difficulties faced by those seeking the services of sex workers, was described by Sandya Thennakoon*, a 36-year-old sex worker based in Maharagama, who expressed confidence that online sex work would continue to gain popularity.  “Our clients do not have money to spend for us as they did before. That is due to the economic issues that they are facing in their houses. We have to adjust to these changes, if we want to remain in this business. Increased rates are their main issue. Although certain clients are in a position to pay our new, increased rates, the majority of the clients are conscious about how much they spend on us.  “In this context, we have started conducting online sexual services, which involve merely verbal and visual services. This is beneficial for both our clients and ourselves, as on the one hand, they can obtain a sexual service for half the price of a physical session, and on the other hand, we do not have to fear sexually transmitted diseases or the possibility of clients scamming or abusing us.” Increase and decrease in service providers Despite this situation, however, there is also a trend of new individuals joining the industry as sex workers. According to those who spoke with The Morning, most of these “new” sex workers come from industries that are completely unrelated to this industry. In this regard, Kamani Weerasekara*, a 30-year-old sex worker, said that while this new trend has created a certain competition within the sector, this competition is not big enough to affect those who have been in the sector for some time. “More and more women are becoming sex workers. They are people who had other, more reputed jobs. Some of them had worked in various factories, while some were self-employed. It is understandable that the economic situation has forced them to look for jobs that help them make more money. I agree that being a sex worker helps one make more money within a short period of time compared to a lot of reputed jobs out there. However, this is not a job that comes with job security or dignity, and I think that they have to be more thoughtful of their career choices.” She added that while the increased number of workers entails increased competition within the sector, the authorities have to be more considerate about these new sex workers, who she said are joining the industry because they see it as a last resort.  Male sex workers are also an important part of this discussion. Those who spoke with The Morning noted that many male sex workers have started leaving the sector in light of the prevailing economic hardships. According to Fernando, many male sex workers have already left the industry for better-paying occupations abroad. She revealed: “They are leaving the country. I know at least 10 male sex workers who left for Dubai, the UAE, and Europe because their services have a higher demand there. I have a feeling that if the Government fails to restore economic stability within the next few months, even female sex workers, whose services currently have a considerable demand, would have to leave the country. Several female sex workers I know have also left the country for Australia, New Zealand, France, and Romania.” She added that given the nature of their sector, they have only two options, i.e. taking measures to increase or maintain the existing client base, or leave the country for a country where there is a high demand for Sri Lankan sex workers.  *Names have been changed on request


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