ABSTRACT
The research conducted for this volume found that the 10-year-long Maoist conflict (1996–2006), led by the Maoist forces known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) against government forces, had left women displaced and had devastated their lives. This chapter discusses the conflict as a key factor that has driven some women into the sex and informal entertainment industry in Nepal. The analysis of the interviews contributes to a body of work that has investigated cases of sexual abuse of women by the Maoist forces during the 10-year armed conflict. It uncovers the gendered implications of the conflict caused by the rebel forces, which have not been fully documented and remain under-researched. A line of questioning that underpins this chapter is how women who have experienced deep trauma and violence owing to the conflict move forward in their lives and whether their engagement with the informal entertainment industry has exacerbated their trauma. The chapter seeks to investigate whether their past experiences of violence make them more resilient to the challenges that they face in a profession that is characterised by other potentially traumatic experiences including various forms of violence, and what enables them to move on.
