Working with the Vulnerable…
Openaid’s work in Thailand is concerned with the prevention of sexual exploitation of women in Southeast Asia. Thailand is notorious for its flourishing sex trade and is known as the ‘Sex Capital’ of the world; the sex industry in Thailand is perpetuated through countless methods including go-go bars, massage parlours and brothels. Attempting to bring an end to the sexual exploitation of women in Thailand is a task that is hugely daunting and highly complex and the issue of sexual exploitation if fraught with complexity.
Prostitution in Thailand is actually illegal; however there is a lack of regulation or penalization for the practice and instead it is practiced blatantly and with a blind-eye from authorities. The support of the industry is a result of economic, social and historical reasons. The sex industry brings massive revenue into Thailand; the increasing popularity in ‘sex-tourism’ has also played a large role in bringing economic prosperity to Thailand. Thailand has economically developed very rapidly and this is largely due to the money raised from tourism and the sex industry. Prostitution has historically been prevalent in Thai culture for centuries; in the pre-modern era the practice of polygamy meant that there was a large incidence of ‘slave-wives’ who could be bought and sold by their masters often for purposes of sexual gratification. With the Westernisation of Thai culture this practice became illegal, leaving former slave-wives with little choice but to join brothels as a means of income. The Great Depression also led to an increase in prostitution as did the demand for Thai prostitutes during the Second World War from occupying Japanese military personnel as well as the demand from US soldiers during the Vietnam War. The shift from a subsistence based agricultural economy in the 1960s to a capitalistic one also fuelled urbanization which in turn led to an increase in prostitution.
Over the past few decades steps have been taken by the Thai government at local, provincial and national levels to address Thailand’s record and reputation regarding the sex trade. However, these steps have generally addressed the issue on the supply-side of the equation, with little regards for the demand. Without addressing the root cause of this practice there is little chance that any meaningful change will be able to eventuate. These efforts have however led to increased economic and educational opportunity for Thai women, which has led to a reduction in the vulnerability of Thai women to sexual exploitation. Despite these improvements the demand for Thailand’s sex trade still exists which has meant that although the face of Thailand’s sex-workers have changed, the practice remains much the same.
Thailand’s economic prosperity has led to its status as a ‘rising tiger’ in Southeast Asia. This has led to a marked increase in migration from neighbouring countries such as Burma fuelled by a desire for increased economic prosperity and refuge from politically oppressive regimes. With the decrease in Thai women joining the sex industry, Burmese refugees are readily available to take their place in an exploitative industry. Many Burmese women flee to Thailand to escape the documented brutalities of the Burmese military regime that has imposed human rights abuses such as forced relocations and the systematic use of rape as a tool of war. The Thai government however, refuses to recognize the refugee status of these women and thus does not grant them with papers or migrant status. This means that there is massive flow of unregulated migration of women from Burma to Thailand; their lack of legitimacy as refugees fuels the practice of illegal migration which leaves women much more vulnerable to exploitative labour in the sex trade and elsewhere.
Although recent years have seen a major increase in the vulnerability of Burmese women to sexual exploitation in Thailand the fact still remains that vulnerability is an issue that faces all manner of women in Southeast Asia. What is it then that makes these women so vulnerable? The factors are complex and numerous but it is clear that vulnerability is exacerbated by lack of access to education, lack of citizenship or political representation as well as by abject poverty. Many women find that with little or no status, education, or qualifications for non-sex work they are left with little choice but to enter the sex-trade.
So how are we helping to prevent this exploitation? Openaid helps to reduce the vulnerability of Southeast Asian women through the promotion of education (through our school-based projects) as well as through financial assistance and the provision of opportunities for women for education, leadership and meaningful change. We are also aware of the complexities surrounding migration from Burma to Thailand and we are helping to address this by bringing assistance to Burmese migrants in Thailand as well as to Thai citizens.
