Journal of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences

ABSTRACT

Background: Despite the longstanding history of mainstream society utilizing the services of female commercial sex workers (FCSWs), Indian culture still struggles to embrace them as part of their community fully. In recent decades, the clandestine sex trade has significantly increased activity throughout the country. The focus of this study is to assess the perspectives of commercial sex workers regarding society, law enforcement, Indian Acts and legislations associated with the sex trade and human trafficking and their current psychological status.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on twenty FCSWs who were selected using convenience sampling techniques from the red-light district of Sonagachhi, Kolkata, and West Bengal. This focused group discussion (FGD) with twenty respondents (four groups of five women) and five case studies of active FCSWs were carried out during the months of January 2021 to April 2021. Therefore, randomly, twenty women were selected, conveniently belonging to the age range of 23-45 years. In this study, four FGD in four separate groups, each comprised of five women, were carried out. From the twenty FCSWs, five women were selected randomly for case studies.
Results: Results suggested that the selected commercial sex workers often feel insecure and stigmatized, anticipating being ostracized by mainstream society and its agencies and they do not have much information about legislation and protective measures related to human trafficking.
Conclusion: Sex workers had a deep sense of distraughtness and dejection due to the inimical views of mainstream society towards them.

Article History

Received 6 December 2023; Revised 29 January 2024; Accepted 8 February 2024

KEYWORDS

1. Sex work
2. Prostitution
3. Sex trade
4. Society
5. Taboo