“Gender-based violence is not just physical violence. It is also emotional violence—and many sex workers don’t realize that,” says Lily, coordinator of the Sex Workers Network
As a sex worker, Lily noticed gender-based violence everywhere, so she formed the Self-sufficient Women’s Organization in Manikganj. The Organization later joined the Bangladesh Sex Workers Network, now led by Lily, representing around 100 000 sex workers. Lily participated in human rights training as a young sex work leader, which she says helps her focus the work of the Network.
“Gender-based violence is not just physical violence. It is also emotional violence—and many sex workers don’t realize that,” says Lily. Even in the health sector, sex workers can experience violence through denial of services. Because of the perceived discrimination, sex workers often avoid availing health services, which impacts vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted as well.
A collaborative study on gender-based violence by the Bandhu Social Welfare Society, the Sex Workers Network of Bangladesh, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Population Fund among street-based female and transgender sex workers in the capital Dhaka and among brothel-based female sex workers in the suburb of Daulatdia revealed that almost all had experienced gender-based violence. Only a small number knew about the legal services available to them. Consistent condom use over the last week was also very low.
Shale Ahmed, Executive Director of the Bandhu Social Welfare Society, says, “Gender-based violence is an important issue for women and girls, but also for hijras and trans women, whose everyday life starts with some sort of gender-based violence.”
In 2015, Bandhu documented domestic violence, economic violence and sexual violence as the main aspects of gender-based violence (GBV). This information around violence laid the groundwork for a two-year project that addressed gender-based violence and human rights violations against gender diverse people. Building on its 27 years of operations, Bandhu advocated with the Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs to include gender diverse people and the issues documented in the study into the Government’s programme on gender-based violence.
Bandhu trained 80 staff members of Government-run call centres on the main issues of violence for gender diverse people; organized roundtable discussions led by the National Human Rights Commission; trained community paralegals and change-makers, supported by 208 pro bono lawyers, to address local cases; and established a gender-based violence information and referral hotline.
“Human rights and HIV programmes should run in parallel and complement each other,” Shale says. “You need to reduce vulnerability, stigma and discrimination to tackle gender-based violence. You need comprehensiveness. Otherwise, the HIV intervention will not work.”
The Government AIDS programme has committed to strengthening its collaboration with district legal aid counsels and supporting law enforcement in establishing work against gender-based violence.
When communities come together, they can organize against gender-based violence, says Lily. A 2023 assessment of social welfare needs among brotheland street-based sex workers and their children, initiated by the Sex Worker’s Network, showed they had almost no access to Government social services.
The Bangladesh Sex Workers Network plans to expand advocacy with the Department of Social Services in Bangladesh to address the study findings. By addressing Social Welfare needs, sex workers can be empowered and confident enough to ensure that clients use condoms.
Supported by UNAIDS and the United Nations Capital Development Fund, Bangladesh Bank has opened a new gender-responsive unit that provides marginalized women, including female and transgender sex workers, with blended financing to start their own businesses, countering economic violence and enabling the daughters or sons of sex workers aged over 18 years to pursue other work. Safer sources of income, further enable sex workers to use condoms more confidently and they have additional income sources and do not have to fear losing clients. “Sex workers do not have a home to return to. The fact that we are united is a great achievement.”
Shale expresses similar feelings: “Whatever we are achieving is a common achievement for the community. I associate compassion and love with this organization.”