Anti-trafficking measures leave sex workers vulnerable to exploitation: study

The research was led and conducted by sex workers’ collective Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad (VAMP), NGO Sangram and Rights4Change based in the Netherlands. Data was collated for 243 women who were raided between 2005 and 2017 in four towns of Maharashtra — Kolhapur, Jalgaon, Pune and Sangli

3 min readPuneUpdated: Mar 5, 2018 10:41 AM IST

sex workers, Anti-trafficking measures, sex workers exploitation, sex workers vulnerable to exploitation, india news, indian express, indian express news

Data was collated for 243 women who were raided between 2005 and 2017 in four towns of Maharashtra — Kolhapur, Jalgaon, Pune and Sangli (Representational Image/ File)

Women rescued from brothels are sometimes “forced to provide sexual services in rehabilitation homes and thus become victims of rehabilitation”
“Skill development” was ineffective as skills such as sewing or making papad and pickles are economically unsustainable
77 per cent (168 out of 218) women who were released returned to sex work.

79 per cent (193 out of 243) women said at the time of raid, they were voluntarily in sex work and did not want to be “rescued”. These are the findings of a unique study into the experiences of women who had been raided, rescued and rehabilitated as part of anti-trafficking strategies. The research comes against the backdrop of the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, which was recently approved by the Cabinet.

According to research author Meena Seshu, “The study was a search for evidence to answer crucial questions: If women entered sex work by force, then why would they want to return to sex work voluntarily? If they entered because of lack of skills to do other jobs, why did they return after they were taught skills that could have helped them earn? If they entered sex work due to ‘force of circumstance’ why would they return when those circumstances had changed for the better? If they entered because of deception, lure, by unscrupulous persons who they trusted, why would they return when they were given a chance to make a ‘new’ life? If they entered because of lack of life choices, why would they ‘choose’ to return?”

The research was led and conducted by sex workers’ collective Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad (VAMP), NGO Sangram and Rights4Change based in the Netherlands. Data was collated for 243 women who were raided between 2005 and 2017 in four towns of Maharashtra — Kolhapur, Jalgaon, Pune and Sangli — through interviews and group discussions, home visits and visits to rescue homes. The study employed the Right Guide, a tool to investigate and analyse the human rights effects of anti-trafficking laws and policies, link these to the human rights obligations of the government and use the outcomes to more effectively advocate for rights-based and evidence-led policy reforms.

In Pune, the researchers spoke to women who had been raided and released from rescue homes. They also filed Right To Information (RTI) petitions to ascertain the status of those in rescue homes. The researchers held group discussions as well as personal interviews with the women who were picked up in raids in the area.

The entire process of the raids smacks of a notable disregard for the “purported” victims who were being rescued, they said. Humiliation, verbal and physical abuse routinely accompanied these raids. Sexual coercion and extortion of money from sex workers by the police was used as a sort of insurance against being raided or they were mistreated by the police, they found. Police excesses form a common theme, in some cases amounting to forced labour and even torture-like treatment in police custody, the authors said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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