Sex Work and Caste Governance in India: Between Informal Regulation and Legal Apathy

Title

Sex Work and Caste Governance in India: Between Informal Regulation and Legal Apathy

Creator

Shahi, Bharvi; Srivastava, Shikhar

Description

Sex work in India occupies a paradoxical position tolerated in practice yet criminalized and morally condemned in law and society. However, this paradox is not merely a product of legal ambiguity; it is deeply entrenched in Indias historical caste hierarchies, gender norms, and systems of informal governance. This article critically interrogates the intersection of caste and sex work in India, focusing on how marginalized caste communities engaged in traditional and contemporary forms of sexual labor are governed not only by a punitive legal framework but, more insidiously, through caste-based informal regulation and entrenched social surveillance. The states neglect, combined with a moralized legal discourse, contributes to what this article terms legal apathy- a systemic failure to extend legal rights, protections, or recognition to sex workers, particularly those from oppressed caste locations. Copyright 2026, IGI Global Scientific Publishing. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global Scientific Publishing is prohibited. Use of this chapter to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is expressly prohibited. The publisher reserves all rights to license its use for generative AI training and machine learning model development.

Source

Legal and Psychological Perspectives on Prostitution and Human Trafficking;pp.177-199

Date

01-01-2026

Publisher

IGI Global

Coverage

Shahi B., Christ University, India; Srivastava S., National Law University, Judicial Academy, Assam, India

Rights

Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library

Relation

ISBN: 979-833735843-7; 979-833735841-3; 979-833735842-0;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Book chapter

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-5841-3.ch007

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037102657?origin=resultslist