“I Was Scared That He Might Kill Me or Stab Me If I Said No”: Violence Against Sex Workers in Kolkata,India

Abstract

This study's objective was to analyze the experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) against cisgender female sex workers in Kolkata through the lens of structuration theory. We interviewed 30 cisgender female sex workers in Kolkata, India on their experiences with GBV in the language of Bengali. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, we identified three main themes in the transcripts: (1) interpersonal violence preceding sex work; (2) interpersonal violence after entering sex work; and (3) structural violence against sex workers. Sex workers continue to face frequent experiences of interpersonal and structural violence, which are intimately related to structural forces of social oppression, power, and the sexual regulation of the bodies and rights of women.

Keywords

sex work India gender violence cisgender women

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