Background

In her seminal 1977 essay, “When the Goods Get Together,” French linguist and philosopher Luce Irigaray exposes how, across patriarchal societies, women are constantly reduced to objects of circulation – and existing power structures benefit from silencing women. Almost five decades later, with digital media and the internet improving access to knowledge and strengthening advocacy, we are aware of vicious patterns of objectification, gendered violence, and how deeply entrenched systemic discrimination can be. 

If we zoom into one side of Bombay – the side that is constantly overlooked by mainstream media narratives and public records – we will see how vicious cycles of gendered exploitation persist even today. In Kamathipura, one of the biggest red-light districts in the world, women sex workers are stripped of their basic rights and dignity. Economic insecurity, exposure to violence, and social alienation are all part of their everyday lives. Although sex work is legal in India, many women in Kamathipura do not have the luxury of choice – trafficking, difficult socioeconomic circumstances, and factors completely beyond their control forced them into sex work. 

A research study by Lindsay Gezinski and Sharvari Karandikar in the early 2010s found that being physically beaten by police or getting arrested without evidence were frequent experiences for many sex workers. It is not merely their physical safety that is at risk: there are serious gaps in economic security, healthcare services, and access to housing. In most cases, legal recourse is far from a safe, viable option – and these concerns only further perpetuate existing violations of rights, insecurity, and ostracism. 

In the last two decades, organisations like the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee and the Sampada Grameen Mahila Santha (SANGRAM) have spearheaded meaningful interventions to support the well-being of sex workers and victims of trafficking across Indian cities. Our initiative, Project Panna, follows in the footsteps of the Aap Women’s Collective in Mumbai, hoping to empower young girls to feel safe, confident, and find a sense of belonging despite adverse circumstances. We believe in the radical potential of solidarity and sisterhood, and one step at a time, we want to lend a helping hand to aid young women in healing and becoming more hopeful, confident, and comfortable in their skin. 

Sources: 

1. https://archive.org/details/19-ijels-109202522-when

2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268106814_Exploring_the_Needs_of_Sex_Workers_In_Kamathipura_Mumbai_India