The sex trade in India - Stopping child prostitution and the spread of HIV/AIDS

Lately I've been doing a lot of research on the red-light districts in Asia, especially in India.  For anyone who doesn't know a red-light district is an area of a town or city containing numerous brothels, strip clubs, and other sex businesses.  Honestly I have no problem with sex workers - as long as they are of age and choose to work in the sex industry.  My biggest problem with prostitution is the abuses the women are often forced to suffer.  However, the red-light districts in Asia have a huge problem with selling children and women into the sex trade and forcing them to work.  (I know that there are children sex workers in the U.S., too.  But since it is not as common and it is not socially acceptable here I am focusing on the problems in Asia.)  

If you are looking for a humanitarian cause to support or donate to, I suggest doing some research on groups working to remove children from the sex trade.  I'm so inspired by the work being done by all of the different individuals, humanitarian groups, and documentary film makers who are working to either stop children from entering the sex trade or educating the world about what is happening to these children.

I have attached two documentaries on the red-light districts in India (click on the links above the pictures at the bottom of this post).  The first one is called India - The Sex Workers, by PBS's Frontline and is only 20 minutes long.  It talks briefly about the children, but focuses more on the problems sex workers face, specifically AIDS.  It is an educational and powerful film.  I think that everyone should watch it - you can find the time!  The second one is full length documentary called Born into Brothels.  As you can tell from the name, it focuses on the children.  It is a little bit slower and wasn't as powerful for me, but definitely worth watching if you have the time.

The videos focus on sex workers in Kolkata, India (which was previously known as Calcutta) and Mumbai, India (which is largest city in India and home of the largest red-light district in Asia).  The stories are both inspiring and heartbreaking.  It was so shocking for me to see (in The Sex Workers) how intelligent, well spoken, and determined the workers were.  I was overwhelmed by how hard they were working to make their lives safer and how hard they were working to try and keep the children of India out of the district.  At the same time I was sickened by the fact that parents willingly sell their children into the sex trade.... knowing the life of abuse they will be facing.  I cannot imagine what sort of parent would voluntarily put their child into that life, fully aware of the continuous rape, abuse, degradation, and possibility of death that their children will be facing on a daily basis.  It makes me feel sick.  But then I wonder if maybe those parents truly believe that they are giving their children a better life??  How can that be?  It makes me so thankful for where I was raised and for the fact that we expect our children to be safe and receive an education.  I'm often angry at our leaders and our policies, but today I'm feeling very grateful for my country, the life I live, and the knowledge that my children will never experience what these children experience every day.  

India - The Sex Workers

Born into Brothels