During my first visit to Kolkata (India), I passed the "red light district" in Sonagachi, which is located in North-Kolkata near the intersection of Chittaranjan Avenue Sova Bazar and Beadon Street, just north of the Marble Palace.

The red light district is an area with hundreds of brothels and around 10,000 sex workers. The character of red light areas of different cities of the world is almost the same. However, the character of Sonagachhi is a little bit different. Red-light areas of Kolkata are also divided into four different classes: "poor class"; "lower class"; "middle class"; and "rich class".

People who are not involved with the prostitution business who have not been able to move out of the area due to financial or other reasons are not disturbed by customers or these activities in general.

In general, non-governmental organizations seek to help "sex workers" providing them all the social and health support. I had the opportunity to visit some "clinics" where monthly medical consultations are appointed for sex workers, as well as schools where the sex workers' children are educated in order to try to find better alternatives.

Also, several non-governmental organizations and government organizations operate for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) including AIDS. For example, the "Sonagachi Project" is a prostitute's cooperative that operates in the area and empowers sex workers to insist on condom use; a relatively low percentage of prostitutes in this district (5.17% of the 13,000 prostitutes in Sonagachi) are estimated to be HIV positive. However, these efforts are hindered by human trafficking: refusal of clients to wear a condom and women controlled by third parties are forced to oblige.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Kolkata

KOLKOTTA / SEX WORKERS / 71 Photos

KOLKOTTA / SEX WORKES
During my first visit to Kolkotta, during the long footpaths, I passed the "red light district" in Sonagachi. Having time counted, I tried in the short time to see and to understand how the "system" worked. Everything is somewhat controlled by non-governmental organizations that seek to help "sex workers" in their activity, both socially and health. I had the opportunity to visit some "clinics" where monthly medical consults are held, as well as schools where the children of the workers are educated in order to try to find future alternatives. "The largest red-light district in Kolkata, is Sonagachi, it is also the largest red-light district in India. [The area came to be known as Sona Gachi from Sufi saint Sona Ghazi whose tomb (mazaar) is located in the locality.It is an area with several hundred multi-storey brothels, and around 10,000 sex workers.Sonagachi is located in North-Kolkata near the intersection of Chittaranjan Avenue Sova Bazar and Beadon Street, just north of the Marble Palace. Bengali prostitutes in Sonagachi But now-a-days Rajasthani and Khamia-Nepalese prostitutes have gained in number According to class-division, the red-light areas of Kolkata are also divided into four different classes: poor-class, lower-class , "middle-class," and "rich-class." For example, the red-light area which once existed opposite the diagonal angle of Khanna Cinema Hall was "poor-class." in Chot-e "? Which means," Do you want to sleep in woode? n or jute-sheet spread over the floor? "The customers wished, the fee varied according to their choice. The lower-class and middle-class of prostitute areas were scattered around Haarkaata Gully and near Chetla / Kalighat bridge. The areas near Elliot Road could not be exactly referred to as a 'prostitute area'. Mainly Anglo-Indian citizens lived there. Prostitutes who also lived in different houses, used their business in Kothhas or Kuthhis (small empty rooms for prostitution purpose only) scattered over the area. The Bengali customers generally never visited those Kuthhis. In Sonagachhi, a few houses can be seen marked with the lines, "ইহা ভদ্রলোকের বাড়ী" which means, "This is a gentleman's house". People who are not involved in any way with prostitution business and other good jobs, and lived in their family-owned houses for many years, but who have not been able to move out of the area due to financial or other reasons, they have they are not disturbed by customers or any other persons in any way. There is some difference between the character of Sonagachhi and Soho of London or Pigul of France. The character of race courses and red light areas of different cities of the world are almost the same. But the character of Sonagachhi is a little bit different. Prostitution in Kolkata is illegal like many other big cities in the world. Though it is flourishing right in front of the nose of the administration. Several non-governmental organizations and government organizations operate for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) including AIDS. Sonagachi project is a prostitute's cooperative that operates in the area and empowers sex workers to insist on condom use; a relatively low percentage of prostitutes in this district (5.17% of the 13,000 prostitutes in Sonagachi) are estimated to be HIV positive.However, these efforts are hindered by human trafficking: refusal of clients to wear condom, and women controlled by third parties are forced to oblige. According to some sources, prostitutes from Sonagachi who test HIV positive are not told about the results, and live with the disease without knowing about it "because the DMSC is worried that HIV positive women will be ostracized." Some prostitutes in Sonagachi have stated that "the clients, at least three quarters of them" refuse to use condoms and "If we force them to use the condom, they will just go next door. the end, everyone is prepared to work without protection for fear of losing trade. " "

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