{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='INDIA : PROSTITUTES FORM A COOPERATIVE IN CALCUTTA' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54be84d8eafeecae13c3cc' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54be84d8eafeecae13c3cc' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nINDIA : PROSTITUTES FORM A COOPERATIVE IN CALCUTTA\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eNat/Eng/BengaliThey are among the most downtrodden and marginalised in a society where your birth  and position define who you are -- but some of Calcutta's prostitutes are taking steps to  make their lives safer and better.In one of the...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eNat/Eng/Bengali\u003cbr/\u003eThey are among the most downtrodden and marginalised in a society where your birth  and position define who you are -- but some of Calcutta's prostitutes are taking steps to  make their lives safer and better.\u003cbr/\u003eIn one of the biggest red light areas in all of India a quiet revolution is  underway.\u003cbr/\u003eIt is known as a dark hole of sin and depravity, a blot on Calcutta- India's so-called \"City  of Joy.\"    \u003cbr/\u003eSonagachi, the biggest red light area in Calcutta houses an estimated three-thousand  prostitutes in about one-thousand brothels.\u003cbr/\u003eMany of the women are abducted from rural areas and neighbouring countries, brought  here to live a life of near-slavery.\u003cbr/\u003eLately however the area has been witnessing activity of a different kind.\u003cbr/\u003eIn an effort to reduce the dangers of middlemen and disease, a group of current and  former prostitutes -- officially referred to as sex workers -- have organised a cooperative  society named USHA - meaning dawn.\u003cbr/\u003eThe cooperative is trying to improve the lives of those practising the world's oldest  profession, largely on their own but also with the help of international and Indian  authorities.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (English)  \u003cbr/\u003e\"We are trying to support their organisation actively. Be it in the form of a consumer  cooperative, be it in the form of counselling and support system. In the recent past they  have organised themselves into a forum of sex-workers. And they are fighting against  Mafia, police and others. We are providing at least moral and other support to them.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Dr. Samarjit Jana, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health\u003cbr/\u003eThe problems they face are many, the exploiters numerous. \u003cbr/\u003eThe brothel owners take nearly half of their earnings. \u003cbr/\u003eThen there is the pimp's share. What is left, they say, is barely enough to survive,  forcing them to borrow at exorbitant rates from the local moneylenders.\u003cbr/\u003eOne of the many tasks of the newly formed cooperative is to give credit on easy terms  to its members.\u003cbr/\u003eThe cooperative also aims to provide medical and legal support for its members.\u003cbr/\u003eThe medical front is definitely the most challenging.\u003cbr/\u003eAs in other parts of Asia AIDS is spreading rapidly in India.\u003cbr/\u003eThe cooperative is participating in a major campaign for AIDS awareness.\u003cbr/\u003eUnder a STD / HIV intervention programme jointly run by the World Health Organisation  and Indian authorities, some sex-workers have been trained as peer-educators to create  awareness about the disease.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Bengali) \u003cbr/\u003e\"After telling her once, the girl might not understand, and we approach her again and  again so she will understand the real menace of AIDS. Once she really comprehends  this, then she herself can tell her customers what needs to be done to prevent AIDS.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPERCAPTION: Reba Mitra, Peer-Counsellor, former Sex Worker\u003cbr/\u003eWHO is financing free distribution of condoms in the red light area.\u003cbr/\u003eThe peer counsellors patrol the area, meeting prostitutes, handing out condoms, and  explaining the dangers of AIDS.\u003cbr/\u003eBecause the peer counsellors themselves are current or former prostitutes, the women  are more receptive to their approach.\u003cbr/\u003eWhile the prostitutes say there is widespread resistance among their clients on the use  of condoms, their own fear of the disease is leading them to be more assertive.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Bengali) \u003cbr/\u003e\"Many of them don't want to listen. They say they will not use the condoms, they are  not good. What I do then, I am forced to refuse the customer. I refuse many customers  like this.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPERCAPTION: Anita Das, Prostitute\u003cbr/\u003eThe rising awareness about the danger of AIDS has also resulted in more and more  prostitutes visiting the health centres for routine medical check ups.\u003cbr/\u003eFor more effective communication, pictorial information booklets are used to illustrate  how the prostitutes can get AIDS and how the disease can spread.\u003cbr/\u003eThe booklet depicts the AIDS virus as a gruesome monster threatening all and waiting  for his chance to infect the unsuspecting.\u003cbr/\u003eThe agencies involved say their role is to help the cooperative get started, so the  women themselves can take more control of their lives, and break the cycle of poverty  and exploitation.\u003cbr/\u003eAlthough the USHA cooperative is a modest start, the women hope that by the time  these children are grown all the choices in their lives won't have been made for them.\u003cbr/\u003eCalcutta, India, 30 September and 2 October 1995\u003cbr/\u003e1. Shots of the red light area\u003cbr/\u003e2. Peer educators walking into the health centre\u003cbr/\u003e3. Close-up of the health centre board\u003cbr/\u003e4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr. Samarjit Jana, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public          Health\u003cbr/\u003e5. Peer educators outside health clinic\u003cbr/\u003e6. Money being distributed\u003cbr/\u003e7. Prostitute with a child\u003cbr/\u003e8. SOUNDBITE: (Bengali) Reba Mitra, peer-counsellor, former Sex Worker\u003cbr/\u003e9. Condoms being kept in bags for distribution\u003cbr/\u003e10. Peers demonstrating the use of condoms\u003cbr/\u003e11. Close-up of sex worker\u003cbr/\u003e12. SOUNDBITE: Anita Das, prostitute\u003cbr/\u003e13. Sex workers walking into the health clinic\u003cbr/\u003e14. Doctors examining the prostitutes\u003cbr/\u003e15. AIDS awareness booklet with pictures\u003cbr/\u003e16. Sex workers outside the clinic\u003cbr/\u003e17. 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class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e1995\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' 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