In Bangladesh, a steroid called Oradexon, primarily used to fatten cattle, is being used on child prostitutes to make them more sexually desirable. Oradexon causes these young girls to prematurely develop large breasts, hips, and curves, making them appear older to their clients. In Bangladesh, it is traditionally more appealing to have large curves and have excess body fat. Although prostitution is legal in government-regulated brothels, it is not legal for girls under the age of eighteen. In order to stay out from under the radar of the police, these girls are taking the steroids. Due to the medical dangers of the drug, the government should limit the availability of Oradexon to keep it out of the hands of child prostitutes.
Because of its medical uses and uses for cattle, Oradexon is easily available on the streets. However, many complications come along with taking this drug. It can cause damage to the liver, heart disease, and external allergic reactions. It not only affects their normal growth and permanently alters their body, but also makes these children addicted to the drug. They can suffer from withdrawal symptoms of physical sickness and headaches. Not only are there biological risks, but also there is psychological damage that comes along with the use of this drug. These girls are being treated like animals by being fattened up just like cattle. The culture views of body image are brainwashing these girls to take this harmful drug just for its aesthetic affects. These external pressures, as well as pressures to make money, are turning them towards the steroids.
Many preventative steps should be taken by the Bangladeshi government to promote the medical welfare of these girls. There should be stricter regulations regarding the acquisition of a prescription to the drug, limiting to those only in the livestock industry. Also, legal prosecution should be increased for the illegal distributors of the steroid. Rehabilitation should be available to those girls suffering from symptoms of withdrawal. Banning the street sale of this drug and making it only available to those in the livestock industry will cause the use of this drug to decline. Although it is not realistic to expect the use of these steroids to be ceased, it is important to stop it from growing and affecting more young children.
This substance is giving pimps not only the mind control of an addictive substance but these pimps can now control the form of their bodies. These girls live in absolute submission to their pimps who control how many men they have sex with, their makeup, how many hours they sleep. Pimps can now control if a 12 year old girl has developed breasts? This is disgusting!
ReplyDeleteI agree that government regulation on the drug is necessary but if it is as useless as their regulation on prostituion then it will be a pointless effort. This drug should only be kept in the livestock industry but how can government officials make sure of that? Especially in a system so corrupt there are no guarantees of justice.
Rehab is also very important because physical addiction is as powerful as fear is keeping children in captivity, especially because they do not understand their physical dependence.
The use of this drug is yet another way that pimps make sure the girls they are trafficking do not run away all the while making the girls more profitable. It is horrible the control they have over these girls. If a girl is addicted to this drug,even if she runs away, the chances of her coming back for the drug are very high. It is basically financial security for the pimps. As for regulations on the drug, there most definitely should be. But the chances of the regulations being successful are not so great. Even if the drug can only be bought by those in the livestock industry, there is not much stopping those people from selling the drug to the brothel to make more money. It is a hard topic to try and fix with no clear solution in sight.
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I'm wrong but from what I understand the girls are using this drug on themselves, its not the pimps forcing the girls to take it. Just as Devon said, the government should focus their efforts on the girls and not necessarily the pimps. It does not seem as if the pimps are controlling the girls through the use of this drug since it does not seem to alter the girls' state of mind, it does not get them "high."
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