The debt trap, a shadow pandemic for commercial sex workers: Vulnerability, impact, and action
| Author | Beulah Shekhar |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/02697580211035585 |
| Published date | 01 January 2023 |
| Date | 01 January 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580211035585
International Review of Victimology
2023, Vol. 29(1) 106 –127
© The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/02697580211035585
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Article
IRV0010.1177/02697580211035585International Review of VictimologyShekhar
research-article2021
The debt trap, a shadow
pandemic for commercial
sex workers: Vulnerability,
impact, and action
Beulah Shekhar
Karunya Institute of Technology Sciences, India
Abstract
This research paper is a stringent analysis of the condition of commercial sex workers in India and
what is happening to them in this pandemic-stricken time. The study details their economic
condition and what is forcing them to borrow money from treacherous lenders despite knowing
the risks behind it. Apart from being exploited financially, they are also becoming vulnerable for
sexual, emotional, and physical exploitation, worsening their situation even further. The research
findings show that 90% of commercial sex workers in red light areas will be forced into a debt trap
that is non-repayable in their lifetime, making it a massive movement of commercial sex workers
entering into bonded labour, another form of modern-day slavery. Apart from the financial peril,
poverty is forcing them to be in a situation of major health hazard. Being deprived of customers for
so long, they might be forced to work in this uncertain situation making it an optimum ground for a
super-spread of the virus. A rapid assessment method has been used to collect the data from
numerous commercial sex workers across the nation. The collected data are analysed using
qualitative analysis and also visualized for better understanding. As a means to provide tangible
alternative solutions to the problem, the study strongly recommends occupational training pro-
grams for commercial sex workers that provide a transition into alternative livelihoods, govern-
ment action against predatory high-interest loans, and the redevelopment of red light areas where
economic returns can be reinvested into commercial sex worker retraining programs.
Keywords
Commercial sex workers, red light area, debt bondage, modern slavery, reinvention, alternate
livelihood, occupational upskilling
Corresponding author:
Beulah Shekhar, School of Sciences, Arts, Media and Management, Karunya Institute of Technology Sciences, Coimbatore,
641114 Tamil Nadu, India.
Email: drbeulahshekhar@gmail.com
Shekhar 107
Introduction: a global perspective
COVID-19 has created extreme financial hardships for commercial sex workers across the world.
Since people who seek their services are mostly workers with daily wages, the situation is worsen-
ing day by day. Apart from the financial issues, increased prevalence of underlying health condi-
tions among sex workers might increase the risk of COVID-19 progressing to severe illness (Daly
et al., 2016; UNAIDS, 2020a). Existing mental health problems are likely to be exacerbated by
anxiety over income, food, and housing, alongside concerns about infection from continuing to
work in the absence of social protection. Such a situation will be utilized by moneylenders to chain
the workers to brothels for a long time. In the trafficking discourse and international law, debt-
bonded sex workers have been defined as ‘victims of trafficking’. The hyper exploitative con-
tractual arrangements faced by debt-bonded sex workers may be the most common form of
contemporary forced labour practices in modern industry.
The story is the same in India with a million commercial sex workers across the nation in
various red light areas. Such an explosive situation is the sole driving force behind the present
study, whose objectives are:
1. to understand the demographic details of the major red light areas in India;
2. to analyse the on-the-ground financial situation and flow of funds in red light areas and their
impact on commercial sex workers;
3. to describe the basic needs of commercial sex workers in red light areas and examine their
vulnerability;
4. to analyse the long-term impact of debt on the commercial sex workers; and
5. to examine the need for economic empowerment of commercial sex workers.
Customers of commercial sex workers will be impacted by the economic slowdown due to
COVID-19; their visits to red light areas will be cut down drastically (Tatke, 2020). For Sonagachi
in Kolkata (the biggest red light area in India), the customer footfall of 20,000 daily has fallen to
zero customers according to recent reports (Mukherjee, 2020). Many commercial sex workers are
in debt regarding their rent and needing a place to stay (Tatke, 2020). Many have left for their
villages due to lack of access to daily essentials (Kulkarni, 2020). To address the financial prob-
lems faced by the vulnerable sections of society, the Government of India declared a financial
assistance package of INR500 to be transferred to citizens’ accounts; however, due to the majority
of commercial sex workers living in red light areas having no bank accounts, AADHAAR card
(a verifiable 12-digit identification number issued to all citizens of India by the Unique Identifi-
cation Authority of India), or proof of residence, they are deprived of any such beneficiary scheme
(Kajal, 2020).
Many HIV-positive commercial sex workers residing in Sonagachi are not able to buy medica-
tion due to lack of earnings (Kajal, 2020). As co-morbidity is higher in COVID-19 cases (Yang
et al., 2020), the HIV-infected segment is a highly vulnerable at-risk group. Recently, after the
lockdown declared in India on 23 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Mumbai red
light area witnessed 35 deaths within a few days during lockdown conditions. The deaths were
suspected to be due to the non-availability of medication for prolonged illnesses such as tubercu-
losis, hepatitis, and HIV-AIDS. The red light area population does not have access to medical
assistance, and any lack of money due to the debt trap adds a serious threat to their health and well-
being. Fifty per cent of commercial sex workers in Maharastra, 40%in Tamil Nadu, and 20%in
2International Review of Victimology XX(X)
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