Many of them left rural areas to earn their living in the sex trade and send money home to help their families. COVID-19 restrictions have changed all that.
Prostitution is legal in the country, but lawmakers have banned it to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Sex workers say that has put them at risk, and they want to work legally again.
The New Light shelter in Kolkata offers a safe home. Founder Urmi Basu was inspired by a walk through the city's red-light district. This year, she was given India's highest civilian honor for women.
The public health advocate came of age in India when homosexuality was outlawed. He reflects on his experiences in An Indefinite Sentence: A Personal History of Outlawed Love and Sex.
Catherine Healy has spent more than 30 years as an activist and was instrumental in drafting legislation that legalized prostitution in New Zealand. Now she's becoming a dame.
Craigslist says it made the change because of the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which is meant to crack down on sex trafficking of children. Free speech advocates are critical of FOSTA.
The country has passed a law meant to be a comprehensive approach to reducing sex work. But some sex workers say it puts them at greater risk. Clients will be fined about $1,700 for the first offense.
Stories of trafficking — including a sting using a "Walking Dead" actress — are making headlines. An expert talks about the practice, which victimizes millions around the world.