Sex Workers: Lives in the Shadows - BBC Africa Eye Documentary

For many years, filmmaker Tyson Conteh has followed the lives of sex workers in his hometown of Makeni, in Sierra Leone.


In the hope of raising awareness of their collective situation, he was given unprecedented access to a world of danger, drug addiction and even death.

Activists estimate that there are more than 20,000 women engaged in sex work in Sierra Leone - a situation fuelled by high unemployment, a crippling cost-of-living crisis, and the lingering trauma of the country’s ten-year civil war.

Over the course of four years, Tyson documented the perils sex workers are forced to navigate daily, from extreme violence and disease to the crippling effects of ‘kush’ - a powerful street drug that has wreaked havoc among the youth of Sierra Leone.

Worse still is the threat from human traffickers, who have lured countless women into sexual slavery abroad, either by force or with false promises of better jobs.

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Africa Eye brings you original, investigative journalism revealing secrets and rooting out injustice in the world’s most complex and exciting continent. Nothing stays hidden forever.

#SierraLeone #SGBV #Trafficking #Documentary #WomensRights #AfricaNews #BBCEye #Kush #Addiction #BBC100Women

[ebsincamara]

You're not just a journalist, you're a saviour to those poor women, and their kids 💯
Youre a good man 💯

[kristel]

"She doesn't have a picture of her mother and so she drew her" hearing that breaks my heart.

[smallmaniyor]

This reporter is really putting in the work. We need more people like him. Thank you for sharing the stories of these women. Praying for these women and their families.

[rays_of_gloria]

“My mum was killed in the street, I don’t want them to kill me on the streets like how they killed my mum” Shredded my heart into pieces😢
How can we help that small girl?🥺

[charlesopudo]

Empowerment of girl child should be every leader's priority.

[sallymwasi]

I’ve cried for all women, especially the death of Zainab. I thought at the end of the documentary she would have survived coz she was taking her meds. I am so heartbroken 💔😭😭😭May her soul rest in peace.

[doreenwanjiku]

Nata threw me off so much. You could see in the beginning how she made herself look pretty, how she breastfed her baby and put a mosquito net over her to sleep. She cared so much for herself and her children. How she ended up that bad later is wild. Hope she is better now

[thatgirltinaaa]

I think we should interview the men (clients) to see why they use vulnerable women without feeling guilty

[dbumctz]

There are so many issues in Africa. I feel so defeated sometimes when I think about it.

[sally-annmarcus]

This documentary was powerful, and I cried. Some things these ladies go through just to provide a better life for their family. My hat goes off to the journalist and the cameraman.

[djnelyford]

This documentary broke my heart. The pain and suffering these women endure just to survive is unimaginable, especially knowing they are trapped in such harsh conditions with little hope of escape. Seeing their resilience despite everything is overwhelming, yet their situation highlights a deep-rooted societal failure that we cannot continue to ignore. Tyson Conteh, your work is more than journalism; it is a voice for the voiceless, shining a light on the shadows we often avoid. Big up to you for your courage and dedication.

[mrmartin]

Humans can be so cruel to other humans -

[totheempireempire]

Oh my god, this video, this documentary—it broke me. It made me cry, made me feel so deeply sad. As a man, it struck something inside me that I can’t even explain. How, as a society, as a country, even as a whole continent, can we allow things like this to happen? I’m completely drained. As a man, I’m left speechless. There’s nothing left for me to say.

[hananyusuf]

A result of African leaders’ greed and incompetence 💔💔

[xoxox]

I really wish they didn’t have kids. It makes the situation worse for everyone. This is too sad

[elysianlagom]

This documentary put life into perspective, what I know as suffering isn't even compared to what these people go through. If anything I am thanking God more on this Monday morning.

[dromerine]

Thank you for bringing their stories to the world and humanizing them.

[jibril]

As a Ghanaian, the moment i heard the mention of Nigeria, i knew Ghana was going to be next, the Nigerian pimp in Mali should be arrested

[shawnaellcey]

I really like this reporter, he is good. 👍

[beautysaul]

Watching this with a heavy heart because I can't believe since 2020 their circumstances have not changed.. The situation that these women are in is so painful to see. Big ups to the reporter for sharing their stories. I pray they get all the help they deserve.