We are excited to announce that Maricelly Malave from the University of Peace in Costa Rica has completed her Master’s thesis on programs provided for survivors of sex trafficking and forced prostitution in the red light districts of Angeles and Olongapo City. Maricelly’s research was informed by her time as an intern at WeDpro, during which she made valuable contributions to our work with our communities in Angeles and Olongapo.
You can download the thesis here. Here’s the abstract from her published thesis:
“The sex industry in Asia generates massive sums of money and for many people it is a source of income that can keep them from enduring unemployment and poverty. Having an economy supplemented heavily by sex tourism and the sex industry leads to many different social issues. The sex industry is a means of employment to thousands of men, women, and children in the Philippines alone. Once in the sex industry, for whatever reason, people may feel pressured to remain in the industry due to societal pressures or lack of employability from lack of education or vocational/technical skills. This study examines what programs are provided for survivors of sex trafficking and forced prostitution in the red light districts of Angeles and Olongapo City. Research was done to identify the most urgent needs of the community in the red light district, what the community would like programs and services to focus on, and the current obstacles to meeting these needs. A suggested curriculum was made from this collected data based on Peace Education pedagogies and the most immediate unmet needs in the community.”
Congratulations, Maricelly, and we look forward to seeing more of your work contributing towards global peace and development!