Navigating Dual Realities: An In-depth Look at Highly Educated Women in Prostitution

This research investigates the factors driving highly educated women into prostitution and examines the impact of this profession on their lives. Using a qualitative methodology, five in-depth interviews were conducted with women holding master’s degrees or professional qualifications, including MBBS, who have worked as prostitutes for over two years. The study reveals that while prostitution offers benefits such as flexible working hours and client autonomy, it leads to significant socio-cultural and economic consequences. These women experience social isolation, emotional desolation, and cultural stigma, even if they are above the poverty line. The research underscores the lack of societal and policy understanding of the complex factors contributing to prostitution, which remains a taboo subject shaped by male-centered narratives.