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In South Asia, once branded with derogatory words such as
a randi or bhalu (the equivalents of the English words “prostitute”
or “whore”) the stigma is often not removable even in older
age, and is passed on to the children. 74
The girls and women in Nepal’s entertainment and sex industry
live under constant discrimination for their profession, ranging
from landlords’ refusal to rent them rooms, to unkind remarks
by shopkeepers, police and customers, to malicious gossip in
their villages. When asked why they are dissatisfied with their
job, girls and women in the entertainment industry frequently
state the negative attitude of society as a reason. 75
Disagreement with parents
Although many girls and women in the entertainment industry
send money to support their families in the village, the majority
do not tell their parents what they do. 76 The reason most
commonly given is that parents would refuse to let them do
the work. More than one half said that they didn’t inform their
parents for fear of being disowned, losing pride or having
a negative affect on the status of their parents. 77
‘We hate this work’
Behind the smiles, the vast majority of girls and women in
Nepal’s entertainment industry dislike the work and discourage
others from joining it. 78 Almost all would like to change their
jobs – if other jobs were available. The reason for disliking the
profession is not poor wages – for many earn adequate incomes
– but primarily sexual harassment and humiliation by customers,
and the negative attitude of society. 79
VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS AND WOMEN
Whether or not the entertainment worker conducts sex
work, the level of violence against girls and women in Nepal’s
entertainment industry is extremely high. Although comparative
research has not been conducted, informal observations
indicate that the violence against girls and women in Nepal’s
entertainment industry exceeds that of similar entertainment
industries in many parts of the world, including Thailand,
Hong Kong, Malaysia, UAE, India and Western Europe. 80
The ‘wild stag’ entertainment setting which the owners provide
to their customers – that is, alcohol, loud music and the
freedom to touch the bodies of female employees – is conducive
to violence against girls and women. However, in other
countries such as India and Thailand, violence and harassment
are controlled by the owners, managers and police, and by
the manners of the customers. In the Nepal entertainment
industry, owners and managers exert little or no control over
their customers, police are as often perpetrators as protectors,
and the manners of drunken Nepali men are very often abusive
and violent. Where in other countries such persons would be
evicted from the premises, in Nepal’s restaurants and bars,
these persons are tolerated in order to make more money,
or for fear of violence or reprisal.
Insulting and humiliating treatment
An industry which makes its money by providing men with
the opportunity to freely stare at, comment upon and touch
2010 Terre des hommes www.tdh.ch 49