How COVID-19 Changed the Lives of Sex Workers in Dubai

Before 2020, Dubai’s underground sex work scene operated in the shadows but with surprising stability. Demand was steady, clients came from across the Gulf, and many women relied on this work as their primary income. Then the pandemic hit. Borders closed. Hotels emptied. Tourists vanished. And for the women who depended on this work, life didn’t just slow down-it collapsed.

The sudden drop in demand

Dubai’s economy runs on tourism, and tourism runs on disposable income. When international travel stopped in March 2020, the number of foreign clients dropped by over 85% within weeks. Hotels that once hosted weekly bookings for companionship services saw zero reservations. Many women who worked through private agencies or WhatsApp networks found their contacts disappearing. One source, who spoke anonymously, said her monthly income fell from 25,000 AED to less than 1,200 AED in two months. That’s less than the cost of a monthly rent in a shared apartment in Deira.

Unlike other gig workers who could pivot to delivery or online services, sex workers in Dubai had no safety net. No unemployment benefits. No government aid. No access to bank loans. Many had no formal ID tied to their real names, making it impossible to register for any kind of assistance. Some turned to local charities, but most were turned away because their work was illegal.

Shifts in how work was done

As in-person meetings became risky, many moved their services online. WhatsApp, Telegram, and encrypted apps replaced face-to-face bookings. Some started offering virtual companionship-video calls, sexting, or online roleplay-for as little as 50 AED per hour. Others posted photos and videos on private Instagram accounts, using coded language like "private dinner" or "evening company" to avoid detection.

But going digital came with new dangers. Scammers flooded the space. Fake clients demanded upfront payments and disappeared. Some women were blackmailed after sharing intimate content. Police crackdowns also intensified. In late 2020, Dubai authorities launched Operation Clean Nights, targeting digital advertising of sexual services. Over 120 accounts were shut down in a single month. Arrests went up by 67% compared to 2019, according to local legal sources.

Health risks and isolation

COVID-19 didn’t just hurt income-it hurt health. Many women lived in overcrowded apartments with no access to medical care. Testing for sexually transmitted infections became nearly impossible. Clinics that once offered free screenings closed or stopped serving undocumented individuals. One woman, who worked in Jumeirah, said she went six months without a checkup. When she finally got tested, she found out she had chlamydia. She couldn’t afford treatment, so she used over-the-counter antibiotics bought from street vendors.

Isolation was just as damaging. Many of these women were migrants from Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. They had no family nearby. When lockdowns hit, they were cut off from their communities. Some reported symptoms of depression so severe they considered returning home-even though many didn’t have passports or money for a flight. One woman from Moldova told a local NGO worker she cried every night for three weeks, wondering if she’d ever see her children again.

Who got left behind

Not everyone was affected equally. Women who worked through high-end agencies or had long-term clients with deep pockets managed to survive. Some kept working under the radar, offering discreet services to local business owners who still had cash flow. Others switched to escorting for corporate events-still illegal, but less visible.

But the women who suffered most were those without networks. Single mothers, undocumented workers, and those who had been trafficked or coerced into the industry had nowhere to turn. A 2021 report by a Dubai-based human rights group estimated that at least 30% of sex workers in the city lost their housing during the pandemic. Some ended up sleeping in 24-hour malls or bus stations.

The slow, uneven recovery

By mid-2023, Dubai’s tourism was back. Hotels were full. Nightclubs reopened. But the sex work economy didn’t bounce back the same way. Many clients who used to pay 1,500 AED for an evening now expect 500 AED-or less. The market is flooded with new entrants trying to make up for lost income. Prices have dropped by nearly 50% since 2019.

Some women have left the industry entirely. A few found jobs in retail, hospitality, or as domestic workers. Others moved to countries with more legal protections, like Thailand or the Philippines. But many stayed. There’s no other option. Their savings are gone. Their families depend on them. And in a city where the cost of living keeps rising, there’s no safety net to fall back on.

What’s next?

Dubai’s government has not acknowledged the impact of the pandemic on informal sex workers. No policy changes, no support programs, no public statements. The topic remains taboo. But behind closed doors, NGOs and grassroots groups are quietly helping. One group, based in Bur Dubai, runs a weekly food drop and offers basic health kits. They don’t ask for ID. They don’t report anyone. They just show up.

The women who survived this period didn’t do it because of policy or charity. They did it because they had no choice. And if another crisis hits-another pandemic, another economic collapse-they’ll survive again. Not because anyone helps them. But because they have to.