ABSTRACT
This chapter sets the cultural context for the design of the Clay Embodiment Research Method. It explores the impact of patriarchy on women in Nepal and the vulnerability of sex-trafficked women. It provides a brief overview of Hinduism and the caste system in Nepal and how patriarchy – from enforcement for over 100 years of the Hindu Legal Code, the Muluki Ain of 1854, introduced by dictatorial ruler, Jang Bahadur Rana, – have had an impact on the sexual and the sexual and reproductive health of women in Nepal. It discusses how the stigma of pre-marital sex leads to the stigmatization, oppression, and marginalization of Nepalese sex-trafficked women.
