Myanmar's Professionals Turn to Sex Work Amidst Ongoing Civil Conflict

Four years into Myanmar’s civil conflict, an alarming number of professionals—including doctors and teachers—are resorting to sex work as their primary means of survival.

In the aftermath of the military coup in February 2021, the country’s economy has deteriorated significantly, leading to soaring inflation and plummeting currency value. This has plunged nearly half of the population into poverty, according to the World Bank. For May, a newly graduated doctor, circumstances became dire when her monthly paycheck of $415 could no longer support her family, especially with her father's health issues. The allure of sex work, despite the stigma, was a desperate move to reclaim some financial stability. "It's difficult to accept that, despite all my years of study to become a doctor, I’m now doing this kind of work just to make ends meet," shared May in a candid interview.

As power shortages cripple industries and unseasonal weather wreaks havoc on agriculture, educated women are finding themselves in a tragic position. A burgeoning number of nurses, physicians, and educators are turning to sex work to survive. The ongoing turmoil has dismantled their professional lives, leaving only the most difficult choices to make. The grim reality sheds light on the vast societal impacts of ongoing violence and instability in Myanmar, where aspirations for a better life have turned into harsh struggles for survival.