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Beggarhood and Prostitution
Widows often endure physical extrusion by both marital and paternal families. Lacking familial or societal support, homeless widows inhabit the streets, amidst sheer destitution. Although seeking employment as housekeepers or factory workers for financial stability, cultural stigmas that assume widows to be innately inauspicious discourage hiring.
Beyond economic means, begging—a state of dire
desperation—encompasses the essence of non-being: a loss of independence and self-fulfillment, an inability to construct life by will.
Homelessness compounded by unemployment and patriarchal standards yields utter destitution, propelling widows to adopt beggarhood. Simply put, the majority of widows are beggars. Cultural mores however often discourage offering alms. Widows, nonetheless, cup their battered hands, asking for comfort and stability.
The participation in prostitution, amidst desperation for financial stability, amplifies her social ostracization, heightening moral collapse and deterioration.
Alongside begging, widows, broken by destitution, often engage in prostitution. The practice additionally evolves into severe health issues. Continual engagement in unprotected sex often results in contraction of sexually transmitted diseases coupled with the developing cervical cancer, traumatic brain injury, or psychological disorders. The initiation of emotional bonds between the prostitutes and their intimate partners often leads to intimate partner violence (IPV), fueling further health deterioration.
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