We’re pleased to share that Ashna Devaprasad, Consultant at Cordis Bright, has published a new article in Economic and Political Weekly.

The article traces the complex, and often blurry relationship between sex work and sex trafficking in India. Drawing on findings from empirical research, it reflects on how the two concepts are frequently lumped together in policy and public discourse. These narratives risk oversimplifying diverse experiences of harm and contribute to law enforcement responses that unintentionally increase vulnerability among sex workers.

Sex workers in India form a heterogenous group, and their paths into sex work are rarely linear. The article pushes back against policies that do not account for how economic precarity, caste and gender norms, the fallout of COVID-19, and punitive anti-trafficking laws – all intersect to shape these women’s circumstances.

You can access the article here, or email the author at ashnadevaprasad@cordisbright.co.uk for a copy.

To combat exploitation, the article supports harm reduction efforts based in the community and led by sex workers. These efforts help centre lived realities of sex workers and mobilise grassroots organisations to be part of policy dialogues. It also calls for evidence-led, context-sensitive policymaking that clearly distinguishes between trafficking and consensual sex work, and recognises the ‘fluid’ and ‘ever-changing’ nature of people’s vulnerabilities.

At Cordis Bright, we are committed to collaborating with Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise organisations (VCSEs), as well as charities like Missing People and ECPAT UK to improve local responses to children at risk of trafficking and exploitation. We have also helped develop frameworks on how ‘vulnerability’ is understood in research and practice. If you’d like to learn more or explore how we might work together, we’d love to hear from you.