Most of the Indian population knows the term red light area in Delhi very well. People may not have any idea that these places have famous markets, but they know that sex is sold here. Sex work in Delhi has been happening since the Mughal era. From the British Raj to independence and after, Delhi has recorded many historical moments. Now, this city has some dark places by the name of red light areas.
The brothels are home to many call girls in Delhi. In this blog, we will study these areas and try to understand the lives of female sex workers.
The Famous Red Light Area in Delhi
Delhi has multiple red-light areas. G.B. Road is the biggest of them. Other red light areas include Paharganj, Lajpat Nagar and Hauz Khash. Areas like Lajpat Nagar and Hauz have street sex workers. Brothel-based sex work does not appear here. Let’s check them out.
Swami Shraddhanand Marg AKA The G.B. Road
It is the biggest red light area in Delhi and one of the biggest in India. G.B. stands for Garstin Bastion. He was a British officer. The history of the GB road comes from the Mughal era. In that era, this area had 5 brothels across Delhi. Then came the British Raj, and the area was made available for the British soldiers to calm their sexual desires.
The GB road runs from Ajmeri Gate to Lahori Gate in Delhi. The Road has several multi-story buildings. The ground floor of these buildings has shops. On the first and above floors live the sex workers who cater to the sexual needs of men. It is very ironic to say that GB Road is a market for machinery, automobile parts, hardware shops and sex workers.
Paharganj
Paharganj in Delhi is not officially designated as a red light area. There are some incidents of human trafficking, and sex racketeers have been busted. Unofficial data state that some lodges and hotels near Delhi railway station have been home to sex workers. These women are abducted and trafficked by agents from several states.
Sex work in Paharganj is not as organised as it is in GB Road. Even after regular raids by police, the women are still not freed from this hellish area. Pahrganj itself is negatively famous for the crimes that happen here. After 8 PM, people advise not to go there. Even in the day, be alert and aware.
Lajpat Nagar
When you go in daylight, you will not find any activity related to prostitution in Lajpat Nagar. At night, some women roam around the metro station gate. People recognise them as independent sex workers. Lajpat Nagar does not have any official red light area. Sex work happens here in disguise. This area is not safe at night, especially if you’re a solo traveller.
Hauz Khash
People love the nightlife of Hauzkhah. This place is the hub for pubs, clubs and bars. Apart from this nightlife, people go to Hauzkah at night to avail of the escort service in Delhi. Along the Arbindo Marg, near the metro station, many women ask for paid sex. Sometimes they are in groups and solicit customers at metro station areas, bus stops and malls.
A news channel documented these activities in an investigation. Hauz Khash does not have any red light area but a sex street.
The Life Of The Women In These Red Light Areas
Living Conditions
The sex workers live in very crowded rooms. Most of these rooms do not have proper ventilation. 4 to 5 women share one single room. These multi-storey buildings must have one washroom on every floor. They do not have basic facilities like electricity, clean water, sanitation, and health care.
The food they eat does not have proper healthy ingredients like protein and necessary fibres. Due to a lack of education, most of them do not have any idea about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Social Realities and Stigma
Society segregates them as if they are not humans. They live with a fear of what will happen to them when they become old. Old and retired sex workers are abandoned with no money. Nobody gives them work. The stigma they face in their daily life does not let them get out of this work. Sex workers know that people in society will never accept them.
Most women have little access to social security programs. Politicians and government authorities ignore them.
Violence and Exploitation
Brothel keepers and clients assault them. Even the police and authorities harass them when they raid any red light area in Delhi. Physical violence is an everyday thing for the ladies. Women who resist doing sex work or try to run from the brothel face brutal abuse. The brothel owners take the major part of the money these women get from a client. Some of the brothel owners keep them on a salary basis without any incentive.
Intergenerational Impact
The sex work not only bothers the female sex worker, but the stigma also reaches their children. They often grow in these areas. If female, when they grow to be an adult, they indulge in sex work. No school gives them admission and provides education. The children of sex workers are mostly not aware of their parents’ work. They do not get admission to schools.
Somehow, if they get admission in these traditional schools, these kids have to face social exclusion not only from the other students but also from the teachers. The children of sex workers experience bullying every day in schools.
Aspirations and Support
The lives of female sex workers are tough. But many social activists, along with NGO, have come to the forefront to give them some relief. Women who were sex workers earlier are now working with these NGOs. After getting out of the sex work or retirement, they learn other skills with the help of these NGOs. The NGOs offer them:
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Skill training
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Education for their children.
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Healthcare for the women living in these brothels.
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Sex education and the knowledge about the methods to protect themselves from STDs.
Final Words
G.B. Road, being the biggest red light area in Delhi, has many female sex workers. They are trying to survive the life they have. Every day from day to night, they live with their fears and insecurities. They wake in the morning with a hope of living their life freely. Some people are helping them, but it is not sufficient at all. The state and central governments have to come forward to take strict steps to improve the lives of sexy call girls in India.
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