Lisa Wiltse: Daulatdia Brothel

Photo © Lisa Wiltse-All Rights Reserved

In Bangladesh, on the banks of the Padma River, is the village of Dauladtia. It is here that the largest brothel in the country thrives , with over 2000 servicing 3000 men every day. The sex workers have usually been kidnapped by gangs, sold by their families or step families or tricked with promises of good jobs. It's estimated that there are 100,000 women selling sex in Bangladesh.

It is here that Lisa Wiltse photographed her photo essay Daulatdia Brothel, and documented the atrociaous practice of procuring a drug called Oredexon, a “cow-fattening” steroid to underage girls, in order to make them plumper and look older, despite the dangerous side effects on their health.

Lisa Wiltse is an American photographer who moved to Sydney, Australia where she worked as a staff photographer for the Sydney Morning Herald until 2008, when she moved to La Paz, Bolivia to pursue her freelance career.

Her photography has been recognized by Photo District News, the National Press Photographers Association, Sony awards, and is the recipient of The Walkley award in Australia, among others. Her work been published in The Sydney Morning Herald,The FADER, Time Magazine, Internazionale, Private photo review, The Sun magazine and The Australian Financial Review.