Magazine written by trapped prostituted women

[delphyne]

Somebody linked to this over at IBTP.

http://edition.cnn .com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/30/india.magazine.reut/index.html

"New magazine targets prostitutes

MUMBAI, India (Reuters) -- An exclusive magazine for prostitutes is offering a snapshot of life in some of India's biggest brothels, reporting the murky world of pimps and violent customers and showcasing the dreams and talents of sex workers.

"Red Light Despatch," a monthly publication, is full of emotional outpourings of women sold to brothels as children, personal accounts of torture and harassment, poems and essays by prostitutes, book and film reviews and advocacy articles.

Health workers and prostitutes sit together once a week in a tiny newsroom located inside a brothel in India's financial capital to discuss stories, headlines and the design of issues.

The reporters, often themselves prostitutes or their relatives, file their contribution after scouring the brothels of Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi and some smaller cities.

"We choose the best stories for publishing," said Rupa Metgudd, a news coordinator and daughter of a former prostitute, sifting through reports for the latest edition. "The magazine is not a mere publication. For us it is journalism of purpose."

Although prostitution is illegal in India, it is a thriving underground industry and voluntary groups estimate that there are about 2 million women sex workers.

..........

The ragtag magazine, without any photographs, looks more like a booklet but it apparently serves the purpose.

"It's a platform, a vent for many prostitutes who deposit their anger, hurt and thoughts on these pages," said Anita Khude, a health volunteer associated with the magazine. "The magazine is for them and it is about them.""

Not quite sure how I feel about this. If it's going to be about political activism to achieve a change in social attitudes to prostitution and to help women escape from the life, then good. I hope it's not one of those projects led by health workers who think that condoms and a bit of self-expression (see $pread magazine) are the solutions to women being raped in prostitution.

[Moonlight]

yeah, I have mixed feelings about this too. But if they can really state what these women feel--and not change it for the effect of their audience--than this could be a powerful tool.

[bluecoat28]

argh, $pread annoys me so much.. I flipped through one and haven't read it thoroughly, but the cover of the magazine annoys me so much, the title...