The Untold Story of Prostitution in Budhwar Peth Pune, India (Red Light area)

This study provides a glimpse into the daily life of women living in the brothels of Pune, India, highlighting the process of acculturation and habituation of females trafficked into sex work. Participants were 30 female sex trafficking survivors, rescued from red-light establishments, and recruited from a government shelter home using purposive sampling. Participants were asked about their personal histories, trafficking initiation, experiences upon entry into the trade, routine activities within the brothel, and those who looked after their daily lives. Participant narratives described the brothel as a complex business enterprise comprised of many players. Females were socialized into brothel culture through the use of special treatment and favoritism, followed by, if necessary, coercion and violence. The sex workers found ways to earn as much money as possible and to protect the little money they were able to save. Some females reported forming friendships with other sex workers in the brothels, while others reported a state of perpetual competition for the affections of madams and clients. A few participants reported developing love affairs with clients. This study provides a detailed narrative account of the experience of sex trafficked females. Both the traumas and the ways in which they adapt to their new daily life. Emergent themes highlight the need to recognize the psychological complexities that result from working in a brothel, which point to the necessity of intricate and client-focused rehabilitation processes to assist females in readjusting to life outside of the brothel. <br>