PAYING FOR SEX IN THE "CITY OF JOY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000090

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

G/TIP FOR MARK TAYLOR; SCA/INS FOR SABA GHORI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SOCI KTIP KWMN KHIV IN
SUBJECT: PAYING FOR SEX IN THE "CITY OF JOY

REF: NEW DELHI 394

KOLKATA 00000090 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: Kolkata's red-light district, one of the
largest in Asia, provides a real-life case study of the
intersection of the policy debates on the legalization of
prostitution, trafficking in persons, and human health. Working
in a nebulous legal environment where sex workers, but not their
clients, may be arrested for public solicitations of sex, the
relatively liberal city of Kolkata has tacitly acknowledged the
existence of "red-light" districts and focused its law
enforcement activities on the involvement of minors in the sex
industry and trafficking in persons. In West Bengal a sex
worker association advocates for legal protection and increased
social recognition on behalf of its predominantly female
membership. Government health agencies and donors have used
this organization as an implementing partner for HIV prevention
programs. Kolkata's experience suggests that governments and
agencies interested in effectively combating trafficking and
preventing the spread of disease would benefit from considering
sex worker associations as legitimate stakeholders and solution
providers in the process. End Summary.


2. (U) This cable is part of the Mission's "Women in India"
reporting series (Reftel) and draws on field visits and
conversations with government health and police officials,
journalists, and NGOs in Kolkata.

Sonagachi - Kolkata's Largest Red-Light District


3. (U) Sonagachi (Bengali for `Golden Tree') is the largest
red-light district in Kolkata and one of the largest in Asia.
The district's images and stories were captured in the
Oscar-nominated film "Born into Brothels" about the children of
Kolkata sex workers. Approximately 12,000 active sex workers
and a supporting maze of pimps, madams, brothel-owners and
middlemen work in the dilapidated buildings spread over four
square kilometers in this North Kolkata middle-class
neighborhood. More than 300 years old, the neighborhood
currently caters to middle-class men who pay anywhere from USD 2
to 40 for an "encounter." According to police and NGO contacts,
the industry has recently begun moving away from established
brothels, such as those in Sonagachi, to public solicitations
for travel to, and performance in, establishments located
outside of the city.

Prostitution's Legality


4. (SBU) The Indian penal code is intentionally vague on the
"legality" of prostitution. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention)
Act of 1986 permits consensual, voluntary, private arrangements
between adults for sexual acts; however, the Act prohibits
brothel-type arrangements and public solicitation. Current
debate is centered on whether or not the act of soliciting sex
for cash, for the provider or solicitor, should be a punishable
offense. According to city and state criminal investigators,
the red-light districts are "tolerated" so long as there is no
minor involvement, trafficking, or violent crime. According to
contacts, business owners operating in or near red light areas,
as well as local residents, have a vested interest in keeping
the district "clean" from violent crime so as not to invite
government raids in the area that would interfere with
legitimate business (there are shops and snack stands in the
area) or "legal" prostitution.

Prostitution's Cultural and Historical Roots in Kolkata


5. (U) Most residents recognize prostitution as a part of the
complex fabric of life in Kolkata. While the foreign influences
in this cosmopolitan city explain in part the development of
several of the red-light districts in the former British
capital, the roots run much deeper. For instance, the clay
idols used during the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, which has
particular importance in West Bengal, are formed with materials
from various sources, including clay taken from the doorways of
prostitutes. Historically, courtesans were accorded a special
place in the past courts of former Hindu and Muslim rulers. In
a religious context, the tradition of "deva dasis" (servants of
the divine) has its roots in the Vedic past of India. Young
girls were "consecrated" to the divine idol in a temple and made
to dance and sing there in order to please the divinity.
According to historians, the tradition degraded over time and
many young girls ended up being exploited by Hindu priests and
wealthy temple patrons.

Sex Workers' Association


6. (U) Since the organization's founding in 1995, Durbar Mahla
Samanwaya Committee (DMSC),has advocated for legal and social

KOLKATA 00000090 002.2 OF 002


recognition of sex workers in the state of West Bengal. While
legally organized as a union, it operates more as an association
(no collective bargaining) to promote the interests of the
70,000 male, female and transgender workers. While it has made
little progress in its quest to legalize prostitution, it
reports having made inroads in furthering the social acceptance
of sex workers.


7. (SBU) NGO contacts disagree on the value of DMSC's work and
possible collaboration with the organization, mainly due to
ideological differences on whether to legalize prostitution.
Contacts from a prominent women's rights organization, Apne Aap
Worldwide, ardently oppose all forms of prostitution and
criticize DMSC for its unapologetic vested interests in
improving the industry. Contacts from the Christian
organization International Justice Mission told PolOff that
while they appreciate DMSC's work in Sonagachi, they prefer not
to work with them because of differences in core values. In
contrast, in March, a wide range of personalities, including the
Kolkata mayor, attended DMSC's annual Sex Worker's Day
activities. DMSC has also worked with the West Bengal State
AIDS Control Society to improve hygiene in brothels and
encourage the use of condoms. They successfully partnered with
the society to encourage association members to utilize the HIV
testing and counseling centers in Sonagachi and other red-light
areas.

Comment


8. (SBU) In West Bengal, sex workers are viewed by most people
as a natural part of society and legitimate stakeholders in the
debates surrounding trafficking and HIV prevention. DMSC has
clearly raised the profile of sex workers in the city and while
the debate on whether prostitution should be legalized
continues, it is worth considering how organizations such as
DMSC can assist in efforts to combat child prostitution,
trafficking and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
PAYNE