Burma

Plight of Burmese Child Sex Slaves Revealed

By BA KAUNG Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Burmese sex workers outside a Ranong brothel. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

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“Some of the Thai brothel owners immediately deport Burmese sex workers as soon as they are found to be HIV positive,” said Khine Pan Zon, an aid worker for the World Vision NGO who is giving health counseling to Burmese sex workers in Ranong.

She added that those HIV-positive sex workers who continue to work often no longer care about their own lives and start abusing drugs, cutting off contact with their family members back in Burma.

There are an estimated 1,000 Burmese sex workers in the town, with nearly 40 of them said to have come from Burma's Irrawaddy Delta after it was devastated by Cyclone Nargis in 2008.

“I am now sending money to my family in Burma and will go back there once I saved some money,” said a 32-year-old Burmese sex worker from Irrawaddy Division who works in a karaoke shop.

“I just came here to get a proper job, but ended up in an unexpected life. So there is no way out for now.”

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COMMENTS (5)

Liz Hilton Empower Wrote:

22/04/2011

AGAIN???!! How many times will Irrawaddy publish sensationalist tabloid articles about migrant sex workers? Your language is highly offensive e.g. prostitutes, child sex slaves and other words that undermine human dignity. There is no real analysis, critique or substance... or even anything new said.. shock horror pity only !!! Shame on you...AGAIN!!!!!!

John Le Fevre Wrote:

21/04/2011

Thank you for publishing this story. The situation is appalling and it comes as no surprise that the Royal Thai Police are complicit in this filthy business.

Sometimes there is a perfectly acceptable excuse for extrajudicial action. It's sad that not enough people care enough to bother taking that action against the low-life cockroaches involved in this disgusting business.

It's also a blight on those western journalists who vacation in Thailand and decide to pay for their booze by writing a story about foreigners are the cause of the sex industry when in fact the biggest users of prostitution - especially children - are Thai, Burmese, etc.

Prism Wrote:

21/04/2011

Each year by some estimates, hundreds of thousands of girls and boys are trafficked globally. Child trafficking is a global issue.
Very few people are actually aware of how large the problem is. Even if people are aware, they generally turn a blind eye towards the entire situation. For this reason, the level of awareness needs to be increased drastically.
"Sold: An MTV EXIT Special", a gripping documentary presented by Indian actress and UNFPA Ambassador, Lara Dutta. The Program introduces the tragedy of trafficking in South Asia where thousand of young girls and boys are sold into modern-day slavery and shows how each one of us can help to prevent modern-day slavery.
To watch this documentary online visit: http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/479

TERESA ORR Wrote:

21/04/2011

PASSAGE FROM MANDALAY by Teresa Orr (Pen Name)
This is my latest book about corruption in Burma and Thailand.
It exposes the people trafficking operations that exist concerning young girls exported to Thailand to work in the sex industry.
A novel set in Chiang Mai, Thailand telling how one girl was rescued from forced prostitution.
It also mentions the work done by Burma Rangers.
Avilable from Lul.com and Lulu.com/uk as a paperback or as a download.
It is also available from Amazon as an ebook. (Paperback available in about 4 weeks)
A proportion of the sales go to a Womens Refuge in Chiang Mai.
ISBN 978-4476-6124-5
Kind regards

Venus Wrote:

20/04/2011

We need to focus on "Children and Women's Education, especially Vocational Education" to be able to find jobs for their living. Just think of saving some money from our leisure money and contributing to women's education. Every one should support for women and children's education. Monastic education is now key to save women to fall into prostitution. Let's help anything we can to educate for children and women and tell them "going abroad is not always a heeaven. See Burmese slave labour every corner in Thailand".