Sex workers chronicle life in Indian brothels 7 V: t0 @# Y& `7 @. a( x1 E# lMon Jul 30, 2007 / B6 N! D9 F! B6 ^. c 2 r {) {, m- b3 U* T, aMUMBAI (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.' O) v0 n. a0 u9 v" K& w5 k
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"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. % T. {( [3 ?/ F8 q7 g) q2 m 6 [( A0 A* ^2 m) Q' N. C r" ]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.- l, P0 D( ~6 E: ]% c
. I) \5 p7 K5 h m! w4 iThe reporters, often themselves prostitutes or their relatives, file their contribution after scouring the brothels of Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi and some smaller cities. 2 h, |. G4 K* G3 U7 M- z3 [$ h% o
"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." 2 j: }. T( u& k1 v7 z# c5 Q3 I" j; ^; @4 X% d
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.+ j6 s9 H+ { z+ J8 C9 d) b
Q: R6 u! N9 m& tLaunched six months ago, the magazine is a platform for the collective memories, nostalgia and dreams of the sex worker community and an attempt to wean their children away from the profession, said editor Anurag Chaturvedi.: u+ w6 \, ?; b" ~$ ~7 `! b$ R
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Two female sex workers stand on a roadside pavement for soliciting customers in a red light area in Mumbai July 28, 2007. 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. REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe' a, ^0 u6 G7 |# c
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一本专门介绍妓女辛酸史的杂志《红灯区通讯》（Red Light Despatch）在印度出版，投稿以至编辑全由妓女包办。出版人员希望杂志能成为妓女抒发愤怒、表达想法和放下伤痛的渠道，有妓女更称杂志给予她们活下去的力量。 5 ^8 y" \2 J$ n! S4 a& \% }- V, q- o/ x [1 ?* p
妓女包办撰稿编辑 " u5 z) l f+ ? |+ d8 Q6 N 4 i1 j, ]# G& i* V9 O《红灯区通讯》月刊於半年前创办，内容包括妓女亲述儿时遭卖到妓院、被客人虐待骚扰的经历，因遇人不淑、婚姻失败沦落风尘等故事，也有她们的诗作、文章等。有人表达对尊严的渴求，也有人道出被迫面对现实的无奈。撰稿的妓女都可以得到薄酬，让她们知道自己也能以受尊重的方式赚钱。: S" j! r4 V: I( R& o/ Y
