UNPACKING SEX TRAFFICKING a Study of Sex Trafficking and Sex Work in Three Districts of Andhra Pradesh, India
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UNPACKING SEX TRAFFICKING A study of sex trafficking and sex work in three districts of Andhra Pradesh, India October 2010 This is a report of a qualitative research study undertaken by the International Center for Research on Women, Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad. The study was implemented in Chittoor, East Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh state in south India for 15 months starting from October 2008. The goal of the study was to provide evidence of patterns of coercion, exploitation and trafficking of sex workers occurs in the three study sites, and to situate and critique government and non-government anti-trafficking responses. Information was collected primarily through in-depth interviews of 120 female sex workers aged 18-25 years on their family background, entry in to sex work, work conditions, violence and exploitation faced in the sex trade. The purpose of the study was to understand (a) the structural factors that drive young women to engage in sex work, (b) the ways in which sex work is organized in the study sites and (c) varied contexts and dynamics of women’s vulnerabilities to physical, emotional and economic harm in sex work. Information was also collected from such other stakeholders as government and non-government officials, brokers, brothel managers, and sex worker peer educators. This study was followed by a survey of 1231 female sex workers aged 18-25, conducted in the same study districts from April through June, 2010. The report of the survey, Unpacking Sex Trafficking: A survey on sex trafficking and sex work in three districts of Andhra Pradesh, India, is available from ICRW. Support for this study was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Avahan, its India AIDS Initiative. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Avahan. For additional copies of this report please contact: International Center for Research on Women Asia Regional Office C – 139 Defense Colony New Delhi – 110024, India Phone: 91-11-2465-4216, Fax: 91-11-2463-5142 E-mail: [email protected], http://www.icrw.org/asia Founded in 1976, ICRW has earned a reputation as the leading international institution on gender and development. ICRW tackles the complexities of the world's most pressing problems — poverty, hunger and disease — by demonstrating that a focus on women and gender is necessary for lasting social and economic change. ICRW’s work begins with research that uncovers the realities of women's lives and brings into sharper focus the issues and constraints they face. ICRW is a "do-tank" that translates research findings into concrete steps that program designers, donors and policy-makers can take. ICRW collaborates with partners in communities across the globe to integrate women's needs into the design and implementation of programs and policies. ICRW develops practical solutions that achieve greater impact, ensure efficient use of resources, and most importantly, empower women to change their own lives and the lives of their communities for the better. Copyright © 2010 International Center for Research on Women, New Delhi, INDIA Suggested citation: International Center for Research on Women. 2010. Unpacking Sex Trafficking: A study of sex trafficking and sex work in three districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. New Delhi: International Center for Research on Women ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A study on sex trafficking and sex work is a sensitive and arduous task, in the best of circumstances, given the polarizing views this topic continues to generate among key constituents. This study would not have been possible but for the support of the following people and organizations, to whom we are indebted. ° All women and men who participated in this study; ° Care India, HLFPPT, India HIV/AIDS Alliance and their NGO partners at the District levels ° R.V. Chandravadan, IAS, Project Director, APSACS; ° S. Umapathi, IPS, Inspector General of Police, CID, Anti-Trafficking Nodal Officer, Hyderabad; ° Profs U.Vindhya and Manoj Panda, Director, CESS; ° V. Sreedhar, S. Eswaramma, K .Sivaram Kishan, Sudha Kavuri, Shaik Vali for their excellent field research; ° K. Lalitha, Sunita Dhar, V. Rukmini Rao, N. Vasanthi, Aruna Bahuguna for being a constructively challenging Technical Advisory Group; ° Current and former colleagues at ICRW, especially Ravi Verma, Regional Director, Asia Regional Office; Anita Rego, P. Martín, and Sawmya Ray and consultants Pertti J Pelto, Veronica Magar, Laxmi Ramachander, and Vibhuti Ramachandran; and ° The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Avahan, its India AIDS Initiative for generous funding. The authors of the chapters are as follows: Chapter 1: Annie George and U.Vindhya Chapter 2: U.Vindhya (Site) and Annie George (Research Methods) Chapter 3 P. Martin and Annie George Chapter 4: U.Vindhya and Annie George Chapter 5: Annie George and P. Martin Chapter 6: Annie George and P. Martin Chapter 7: Pertti J. Pelto Chapter 8: Annie George All figures and charts were designed by P. Martin Annie George Group Director, Health & Development Hyderabad, October 2010 Unpacking Sex Trafficking i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Foreword ……………………………………………………………………………………………. vi Executive Summary............................................................................................................. viii List of tables and figures..................................................................................................... ix Acronyms............................................................................................................................. x Chapter I INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 EXTENT OF SEX TRAFFICKING AND STATE POLICY RESPONSES.......................... 1 STATE RESPONSES TO TRAFFICKING ................................................................. 2 United Nations statement on trafficking..................................................... 3 REGIONAL STATEMENTS ON TRAFFICKING .......................................................... 5 The SAARC Convention............................................................................ 5 Indian provisions on trafficking .................................................................. 6 ELEMENTS IN THE DEFINITION OF TRAFFICKING ................................................. 8 Movement.................................................................................................. 8 Deception................................................................................................... 8 Coercion .................................................................................................... 8 Exploitation ................................................................................................ 9 Process with distinct beginning and end ................................................... 9 Third party profit ...................................................................................... 10 METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES ............................................................................. 10 Chapter II STUDY LOCALE & RESEARCH METHODS................................................ 13 East Godavari.......................................................................................... 15 Krishna..................................................................................................... 16 Chittoor .................................................................................................... 16 RESEARCH METHODS................................................................................. 16 STUDY FRAMEWORK, PERSPECTIVE AND APPROACH......................................... 17 Study organization and team................................................................... 18 RESEARCH METHODS .................................................................................... 19 MAINTENANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND RELATED ETHICAL ISSUES.................. 19 Data Sources........................................................................................... 21 STUDY LIMITATIONS ....................................................................................... 21 Chapter III PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS...................................................................... 22 WOMEN’S NATIVE PLACE, URBAN-RURAL SPREAD ............................................. 22 SOCIAL CLASS AND FAMILY BACKGROUND........................................................ 22 LAND AND HOUSE OWNERSHIP ........................................................................ 23 CASTE INFORMATION...................................................................................... 24 AGE .............................................................................................................. 24 MARITAL STATUS........................................................................................... 25 AGE AT MARRIAGE ......................................................................................... 25 NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND DEPENDENTS ........................................................ 26 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OCCUPATIONS ....................................................... 27 YEARS IN SEX WORK ...................................................................................... 28 Unpacking Sex Trafficking ii EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND .........................................................................