Demographics
The researchers’ subjects include migrants from China moving into Thailand, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan. Chinese sex workers in the study countries range from 60 to 45 years old, and most of them come from rural China. The educational background of these women varies from one subject to the other, where a more significant percentage are illiterate. Other interviewed women have high school certificates and undergraduate education despite being commercial sex workers. All subjects state that their need for money and financial stability is the leading factor for engaging in commercial sex since China has fewer employment opportunities due to overpopulation.
Most illiterate subjects did not obtain education due to financial constraints, which led to dropping out of school. Apart from economic difficulties, family problems and gender inequalities led to girls quitting school to take care of the household. Others chose to leave school willingly because they did not like learning and preferred domestic chores. Since China’s authority does not take girls’ education seriously, the women stayed home and ventured into commercial sex to earn a living. Although the major population is uneducated and has fewer qualifications, the subjects indicate that level of education does not determine being a sex worker.
Family Background
Most Chinese women come from middle- and low-class families in their hometowns. Contrary to the belief that only the poor venture into the business, the research subjects’ backgrounds vary from destitute individuals to middle-class women who have different reasons for entering the industry. Despite their family origins, the main aim of these women is to obtain better incomes to raise their living standards and compare with elite society.
Marital Status
Most subjects are single women under 30 years. Single women ventured into selling sex overseas to overcome the societal pressure of obtaining wealth and having high living standards. Among them are women who fled home to get freedom and escape social roles such as early marriages. Others left to support their poor relatives back home in getting a better life, education, and employment opportunities for younger siblings. The remaining population of interviewed women is married and divorcees. Women divorce Chinese husbands due to marital problems, violence, and gender inequalities.
In China, marriage entails being a proper wife and submitting to the husband’s wishes since the woman marries into the man’s household. Women bound to these unhealthy relationships opt for other ways of getting freedom and having fulfilling lives by taking the available job opportunities, such as overseas prostitution. Married women consist of a small percentage where some claim to have good relationships with their husbands despite their occupation. For instance, Juan states that she is married and relates well with her husband and family in China. She sends them money for support since she is the family’s breadwinner and sells sex to sustain their livelihoods.
Employment History
In the research, many women in the commercial sex industry have previous experience as sex workers before venturing abroad. Over 71 women claimed to practice prostitution locally and traveled overseas for better pay for their services. According to the women, local prostitution exploits women because they have to work under agents, while overseas markets offer independence and higher earnings. Other women who go overseas to sell sex come from ordinary backgrounds, such as farming, casual laborers, and retired parents. All these ventured abroad to find better employment opportunities, but due to illiteracy and inadequate qualifications, they opted for commercial sex since I offer ready market and returns.