Abstract

This paper examines the self-strategies of female sex workers (FSWs) for their integration into the larger society from the stigma of sex workers and it also explores how they were neglected by larger society. The study was conducted in the Bowbazar red-light area of Kolkata. For this purpose, 110 Female Sex Workers (FSWs) were purposively selected through adopting simple random sampling. Before that the researcher conducted a survey to know their future goals, where the FSWs shared their goal to withdraw from the trade after a certain age. The information collected was on their social, religious, and educational backgrounds; marital status and relationships with male partners; and social and economic strategies for their rehabilitation. Methodologies included interview schedules, case studies, and regular interaction for a period of 10 years. The study revealed that 7% of the FSWs integrated themselves within the larger society after their withdrawal from the trade. While about 60% of them targeted to withdraw from this trade. The stigma attached to this profession was a prime hindrance of their social rehabilitation and thus a portion of them faced violence and returned to their sex workers' communities after withdrawal from the trade. The struggle for the improvement of their social health was the prime target to restore their future well-being of our society.