"Even God does not want me:" A qualitative study of health issues and access to health care among sex-trafficked women and girls in India

Author: Karandikar, Sharvari; Gezinski, Lindsay & Kaloga, Marissa

Abstract: Kamathipura, located in Mumbai, India, is considered to be Asia’s largest red-light area. The majority of sex workers in Kamathipura were trafficked as minors from other states in India and from neighboring countries, such as Nepal and Bangladesh. Objectives: This research used qualitative methods to explore the health histories of 15 sex workers who were trafficked into Kamathipura. The specific research objectives were to: a) explore sex workers’ process of entry (i.e., trafficking) into Kamathipura; b) explore sex workers’ health problems; and c) study the disparities in access to health care as a result of trafficked status among women in Kamathipura. Methods: The data was collected using in-depth interviewing techniques, and analysis consisted of reading the data line-by-line, identifying themes, and coding categories to uncover relationships between themes and categories. Results: Since their entry into sex work, participants reported suffering various physical and mental health-based problems, such as seasonal illnesses, tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, alcohol dependence, and mild to severe mental illnesses. Trafficking, seclusion from society, and the threat of physical violence hindered participants’’ access to healthcare. The majority of the participants stated that they saw the doctor for the first time when they were either pregnant or extremely sick. For minor illnesses and injuries, they took medicines that were given to them by their pimps or brothel owners. Discussion: This study highlights vulnerable health conditions of trafficked victims and addresses gaps in social support for sex workers in India, including the insufficiency of current health care and social work interventions.

Keywords: sex work, prostitution, trafficking, Mumbai, India, health, mental health, violence