Prostitution in Kolkata

In Kolkata, prostitution is present in different forms. Prostitution may be brothel-based or non-brothel based as in the case of call girls. As India has no law supporting full recognition of prostitution, and some laws prohibit various aspects of prostitution, prostitutes work underground.

Red-light district

Sonagachi is the largest red-light district in Kolkata. The area came to be known as Sona Gachi from a sufi saint Sona Ghazi whose tomb (mazaar) is located in the locality. [ [http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF2003/Briski/Briski.html Prostitutes and AIDS in India] Website of Alicia Patterson Foundation] It is an area with several hundred multi-story brothels, and around 10,000 sex workers. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4055143.stm Girl-trafficking hampers Aids fight] BBC news. 30 November, 2004] Sonagachi is located in North-Kolkata at coord|22|35|15|N|88|21|35|E|type:landmark, near the intersection of Chittaranjan Avenue Sova Bazar and Beadon Street, just north of the Marble Palace.

Several NGOs and government organizations operate here for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) including AIDS.

Sonagachi project is a prostitute's cooperative that operates in the area and empowers sex workers to insist on condom use. It is credited with keeping the HIV infection rate among the prostitutes at 5 per cent, much lower than in other Indian red-light districts. [ [http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=30&articleID=00034A71-B1CD-1419-ABA683414B7F0101 The Prostitutes' Union] , "Scientific American", April 1, 2006]

Call girl

Call girls operate independently and through pimps or escort agencies. Prostitution is operated from many beauty parlours and massage parlors in the city. [ [http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/29kolkata.htm Kolkata cop's wife in prostitution racket] Rediff.com] cite web |title=New girls on the block|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070401/asp/calcutta/story_7359586.asp "The Telegraph" - April 01, 2007] Pimps (commonly called agents) in nightclubs, pubs, star hotels and floorboys acting as agents generally keep catalogue with pictures of the call girls. The girls operate in places like flats, hotels. etc.cite web |title=Hidden sex trade -callgirls of kolkatta|work=NLM Gateway|url=http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/102256441.html |accessdate=2007-03-10] Generally the call girls go to the rooms in star hotels. However, when the client cannot provide a place of convenience, the agents provide one and the place is generally decided on before.

Call girls in Kolkata come from middle class, upper middle class and upper class family. They may be executives, housewives, college student or actress.cite web |title=Hidden sex trade -callgirls of kolkatta|work=NLM Gateway|url=http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/102256441.html |accessdate=2007-03-10]

The Kolkata Police have connections with many call girls working as their informers. Many criminals like to spend time with the girls. Hence some call girls are used by the police to get information about suspected criminals. [ [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060512/asp/calcutta/story_6197678.asp Call girl aide to catch criminals- 230 escorts brought into the detective department fold] "The Telegraph" - May 12, 2006]

Campaign for legalization

Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC), which runs the Sonagachi project and several similar projects in West Bengal, lobbies for the recognition of sex workers' rights and full legalization. [ [http://www.durbar.org durbar.org] , homepage of the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee] DMSC hosted India's first national convention of sex workers on November 14th, 1997 in Kolkata, entitled 'Sex Work is Real Work: We Demand Workers Rights'. [ [http://www.nswp.org/rights/dmsc/indiaconf.html Sex work is real work: We demand workers rights] , announcement of the 1997 sex worker convention]

References

ee also

*Prostitution
*Prostitution in India