Physical and Mental Health Condition of Prostitute Mothers in Bangladesh:The Duality of Profession and Motherhood

Abstract

Sex work is not a new concept in Bangladesh; sex work is centuries old. Bangladeshi society does not regard prostitution as a noble profession, so it must face many challenges. The challenges become more complex when a prostitute becomes a mother. In this study, the researchers investigated how a prostitute mother passes her life through these difficulties. The researchers also analyzed the mental and physical violence of the prostitute mothers and their children. 30 participants were collected from the Cumilla district in Bangladesh using the interview method in an unstructured way, and the Snowball sampling method was used to collect the data. The study shows that most sex workers and prostitute mothers suffer from various challenges like child-rearing, children's education, and security, ensuring nutritious food for themselves and their children, and deficient earnings. Despite having the same motherly feelings as other mothers, prostitute mothers are forced to send their children (78 %) to relatives or maidservants. The rest of the children can stay with their prostitute mothers at the workplace. To survive in society, sex workers must be tense about their future; the matters are excruciating, especially for prostitute mothers.