Do Sex Workers Listen to Radio? Deconstructing the Radio Listening Habits of the Sex Workers of Sonagachi

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ever since the inception of radio in India, it has played a significant role as a medium of mass communication and entertainment. It must be noted that the technology used by radio has been in existence for almost over a century. Listening to morning news over radio has been reported as a habit widely practiced across the globe. Radio as a tool of communication has been preferred by not only activists and people’s movements but also by marginalized and stereotyped communities. This paper attempts to deconstruct the radio listening habits of the sex workers of Sonagachi (often referred to as the largest red-light district of Asia that harbors around 15,000 sex workers) in order to assess the role communication plays within the boundaries of the community. To arrive at conclusion, the researcher incorporated the usage of semi-structured in-depth interviews of five female sex workers, chosen with the application of snowball sampling technique. The findings of this study can be used to initiate the creation of a community radio station (a sustainable, sensible alternative for infotainment) or any other form of community public sphere for sex workers in Kolkata’s red-light districts. Further, it can be used to offer recommendations to government and policymakers who are responsible for establishing such stations for marginalized communities, essentially giving a voice to the voiceless.