Red Light Areas Exposed: Brutal realities of S*X Workers

Recently on my podcast, I had a powerful conversation with Atul Sharma, a well-known sex worker activist and founder of Sankalp Foundation. Atul has been working for years to bring dignity and justice to sex workers in India, and the way he explained the truth behind red light areas left me speechless.

Most of us carry a very superficial idea of what happens inside a red-light area. Society often labels these women as “bad,” “dirty,” or “immoral.” But as Atul explained, the real story is about exploitation, survival, and a system that society itself fuels.

Why is it Called a “Red Light Area”?

Atul started with a simple but eye-opening fact.

The term red light area dates back to colonial times. Just like a traffic signal, the red light symbolized danger, stop, and risk. Brothels were marked with red lamps outside, warning people about the “immoral activities” inside. Over time, this became the universal name.

But as Atul said: “The real danger was never the women, it was the system trapping them.”

Women in Red Light Areas: Victims, Not Villains

One of the strongest points Atul made was that women here are not criminals, but victims of circumstances.

They don’t go searching for men. It’s men who come, pay money, and exploit them.
Many are forced into this trade through trafficking, poverty, or betrayal by someone they trusted.
Unlike prisoners, they never get a trial or chance for freedom, their sentence lasts a lifetime.

Atul’s words were clear: “Society blames them for something they never chose.”

The Forgotten Roots of the Kotha

Before red light areas became what they are today, kothas were cultural spaces.

Women performed classical dance and music, often with live tabla and harmonium.
Patrons supported them without necessarily buying sex.
Traditions like Nathutrai (nose-ring custom) protected minors; girls with a nose ring were untouchable until they came of age.

Atul reminded us that entire communities, like the Nats, once carried forward this cultural identity. Sadly, art was replaced by exploitation.

The Business Side of Exploitation

Behind the walls of a brothel lies a well-oiled exploitation network.

A girl is often bought for ₹50,000–₹1,00,000, then trapped in a never-ending cycle of debt.
Every day, she may see 15–20 customers, charging ₹250–₹300 each.
Her share? Almost nothing. The money goes to the madam, pimps, local shopkeepers, and sometimes even corrupt police.
Even nearby shopkeepers profit, if they bring a customer inside, they get a small commission.

Atul explained it bluntly: “Everyone earns, except the woman who is actually suffering.”

Inside a Kotha: Harsh Reality vs. Bollywood Illusion

Forget the glamorous image shown in films. Atul described what a real kotha looks like:

Narrow staircases that lead to dim, suffocating rooms.
Two benches where women sit on one side and men on the other, choosing like goods in a market.
Behind a curtain, a tiny, unhygienic room with a broken bed or mattress, no privacy, no dignity.

The very word kotha means the darkest, innermost storage space in a house. Sadly, that’s what these women’s lives become, locked away, unseen, unheard.

Who Really Visits Red Light Areas?

Another misconception Atul busted is about the customers.

It’s not rich men or businessmen as movies often show. Instead, most are:

Daily wage workers, rickshaw pullers, laborers.
Men earning ₹500 a day, spending half of it here.

Atul pointed out the double standard: society blames women but never questions the men who walk in daily.

The Larger Truth: Society’s Hypocrisy

At the heart of it, Atul Sharma’s message was about our collective silence and hypocrisy.

Red light areas exist because there is demand.
The women carry all the stigma, while the men remain invisible.
Poverty, trafficking, and exploitation fuel the cycle, but society only points fingers at the victims.

As Atul said on the podcast: “If you want to understand the red light area, don’t just look at the women, look at the men who keep coming back, and the system that profits from their suffering.”

Final Thoughts

My conversation with Atul Sharma changed the way I look at red light areas in India. What we often see as “immorality” is actually a story of survival, injustice, and human rights violations.

The next time you hear someone label these women, remember:

They didn’t choose this life.
Society and demand forced them into it.
The real question isn’t “why do women sell their bodies?” but “why do men keep buying?”

This blog is based recent podcast with Atul Sharma, sex worker activist and founder of Sankalp Foundation.