Women breadwinners turn to sex in Sri Lanka

Women are increasingly turning to commercial sex to survive in the former war-torn northern Sri Lanka, reported ‘Colombo Gazette’.

Local groups who work to rehabilitate these women, say the numbers could be about 7,000. Most of these women resort to this trade as they end up being the sole breadwinners of the family. Their male members are either dead or missing, head of the Association of War Affected Women, Vishaka Dharamadasa told IRIN.

According to a government estimation, in 2012, there were more than 59,000 women-headed household in the island’s north.

“They bear economic burdens once carried by their fathers, husbands or brothers. Poverty and lack of options are driving women to adopt commercial sex as an income generator,” Dharmadasa said.