Challenges and Vulnerabilities Faced by Sex Workers During the Pandemic

Sex workers, like so many others, have seen their incomes disappear overnight since the start of the pandemic. While in some cities businesses are slowly reopening, the sex trade carries with it a high risk of transmitting the coronavirus. It’s an industry where regulations vary wildly across the globe, but sex workers everywhere are deeply anxious about their future and safety. Vivienne Nunis hears from the Daulatdia brothel in Bangladesh, where women and children have been trapped for months. She also speaks to an escort in Australia who has been forced to take her business online. Plus, Teela Sanders, criminology professor at the University of Leicester, explains how sex workers are facing added challenges accessing healthcare, leading to an innovative solution in Nairobi.

(Image: Escort Estelle Lucas. Credit: Estelle Lucas)