Bangladesh's Teenage Prostitutes Turn to Steroids for Survival

Bangladesh's quaint town of Tangail stands in stark contrast to its infamous red light area that houses over hundreds of sex workers.

A majority of prostitutes in Kandapara slum are as young as twelve years old. They take medication to help gain weight and appear older.

Oradexon, a steroid which is used to fatten cattle, are increasingly used by teenagers in the brothels to develop their bodies. With customers paying as low as 50 Taka (60 cents), taking such medication improves the chance to generate more income. It's also believed that the drug keeps one strong, thereby enabling these girls to serve more clients per day.

"In this brothel, customers always look for healthy girls," Hashi, a sex worker and mother-of-four, was quoted as saying by Reuters. Read More