Prostitution has a long history in Burma and was banned in the 18th century, though it remains widespread illegally. Most prostitutes in Burma are ethnic minorities under 18 years old who are trafficked internally or to other countries like Thailand. Prostitution is a major source of HIV transmission in Burma, where sex workers have high rates of sexually transmitted infections but low access to testing and treatment.

1. PROSTITUTION IN
BURMA

2. History
Prostitution banned in 1785, early Konbaung Dynasty period.
The Suppression of Prostitution Act, enacted in 1949, guarantees protection of
female children under 14 (with or without consent) from sexual abuse charged with
rape
The Child Law, enacted in 1993, raised the age of consensual sex to 16, no offence
for boys
The Great Depression in 1930’s, caused unemployment and displacement in British
Burma, women forced to serve clients mainly British troops and Indian sepoys

3. Overview
Illegal
Burma is major source of prostitutes (an estimate of 20,000 to 30,000) in Thailand
Majority of Burmese prostitution are from ethnic minorities, 60% under age of 18
Source of sex workers and forced labourers forChina, Bangladesh, Taiwan, India,
Malaysia, Macau and Japan
Internal trafficking of women for prostitution occurs from rural villages to urban
centres, military camps, border towns and fishing villages

4. Names
“fulfilling the rod’s hunger”
“blue mistress”, “blue” means pornography
“chicken”
“female pimp”
“female nat”
“fragrant flowers of the night”

5. HIV/AIDS
Burma is 3rd highest HIV prevalence in Asia after Cambodia and Thailand
Sex workers are particularly at risk, with 32% of prostitutes infected with the disease
In Yangon, 10, 000 sex workers mostly Burma's Bamar ethnic group, with between 70
to 90% having history of sexually transmitted infections and less than 25% having
been tested for HIV

6. -end-