Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh top in female sex worker population, Maharashtra third with 9.6%
Karnataka leads in overall FSW population at 15.4%
HYDERABAD: As India fights to shed its HIV burden — currently third highest in the world — the latest Programmatic Mapping and Population Size Estimation (PMPSE) study has found that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have among the highest concentration of female sex workers — per hotspot — in the country.
Overall, though, Karnataka emerged at the top of the charts with 15.4% of India's total FSW population. It was followed by Andhra Pradesh (12%), Maharashtra (9.6%), Delhi (8.9%), and Telangana (7.6%). Together, these five states accounted for over half (53%) of India's estimated 9,95,499 female sex workers.
The study, published in PLOS Global Health, covered 651 districts across 32 states and UTs. Led by Pradeep Kumar of the National AIDS Control Society, it calls for periodic, community-led PMPSE to enable responsive public health strategies.
The mapping exercise identified 43,579 FSW hotspots across India with presence of FSWs in 642 districts, including 34 with over 5,000 FSWs. AP was found to have five such districts, and Telangana six. FSWs were also reported in 16,095 villages. Telangana recorded the highest concentration of FSWs per hotspot — 38 per location —followed by AP with 29.
In contrast, most states had a lower density, averaging 8 FSWs per hotspot nationally.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik
IC Markets
Mendaftar
Undo
Home-based sex work dominated the landscape, accounting for 55.1% of all FSW hotspots. Around 14% of FSWs were found operating exclusively through 10,718 network operators, and 9% in Link Worker Scheme (LWS) villages. There were as many as 568 mapped network operators in Telangana, one of the highest in the country. In AP, each LWS village had an average of 10 FSWs operating exclusively within the village, while in Telangana, it was 8.
The PMPSE also underscored Telangana's transgender (H/TG) individuals per hotspot —around 25 — again the highest in India. It surpassed Delhi (24), Gujarat (21), AP and Maharashtra (20 each). Although Delhi had the highest overall H/TG population (18.6%), Telangana stood out for its concentrated presence at identified locations.
Nationally, 96,193 H/TG individuals were estimated, with 90.8% found at hotspots.
Telangana's share came from fewer mapped hotspots but with higher density.
In total, 6,585 H/TG hotspots were identified, with key informant data gathered from 15,231 individuals within the community.
For men who have sex with men (MSM), Telangana reported the highest density again —50 MSM per hotspot — followed by Delhi (29) and Goa (27). Though AP contributed 6.3% to the national MSM population, Telangana's role in terms of hotspot concentration points to a more complex landscape of risk.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Forest dept raids shop in Jalaun, seizes protected birds & turtles
Kanpur: The forest department's enforcement team confiscated more than 100 protected and prohibited birds and turtles from a shop in Jalaun's Orai Kotwali area during a raid on Monday. The shop owner, Javed Mansoori, was apprehended. The seized creatures included owls, hawks, Indian rollers, parrots, various exotic bird species, and turtles. DFO Pradeep Kumar said that they received tips about illegal wildlife trading at a shop in the city's vegetable market area. A dedicated team of SDO Sajid Ali, Proti Padav, Sanjay Madhur, Ranjit, Omprakash, three rangers, six forest officers, and one female officer was formed. Some team members initially visited the shop as potential buyers to confirm the allegations. Upon verification, the team proceeded with the raid and recovered one owl, one hawk, one Indian roller, over 20 parrots (including some deceased), 30-40 exotic birds, and more than 25 turtles. Kumar noted that several birds perished due to starvation, dehydration, and extended confinement. The surviving animals received immediate care with food and water. The rescued creatures will be transferred to a rehabilitation centre. The authorities are questioning the detained suspect, Javed Mansoori. He is suspected to have links with an interstate wildlife trafficking operation. Legal proceedings under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, will be initiated against him. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, designates owls, hawks, Indian rollers, numerous parrot species, and turtles as protected, with their capture, trade, or possession carrying penalties of up to 7 years imprisonment and substantial fines.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Schools focus on awareness, hygiene to curb virus spread
1 2 Kolkata: As state schools reopened after the summer vacation on Monday, institute heads implemented precautionary and hygiene measures against the fresh Covid surge to prevent the spread of infections while ensuring students did not panic. Even CISCE and CBSE school heads are putting together advisories, to be issued once summer vacation gets over for affiliated institutes. State school principals said they were keeping a close watch on the Covid developments and advising students to be cautious. Bhowanipore Mitra Institution has asked students not to share tiffin or mid-day meals. "Students have been told not to come to school if they have fever or cough and alert their teachers if they feel uncomfortable in class. But we have said there's nothing to panic about," said headmaster Raja Dey, adding Covid guidelines had been posted in class groups. Children's Welfare Association High School headmistress Sarbari Sengupta said she, too, had told students not to attend school if they had fever, cough or cold. The school has introduced the 'water bell' for children to drink adequate water at regular intervals. Hare School has reopened taps beside the main gate, where students have to wash their hands. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 1 Teaspoon A Night Melts Fat Like Never Before! Your Clothes Will Fit. Hollywood & Health Learn More Undo Headmaster Tapan Maiti said, "As no govt advisory has been issued yet, we are focusing on awareness." Jadavpur Vidyapith headmaster Partha Pratim Baidya pointed out while they were focusing on basic hygiene, they were also trying to hold as many classes as possible till Aug. "Our advice is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. But we are careful not to spread panic."
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
KMC, NKDA get 900 plaints in week-long ‘report-garbage' drive
1 2 Kolkata: An overwhelming response marked KMC's and NKDA's week-long special cleanliness drive across the city and New Town, respectively, which ended on Tuesday. According to a KMC solid waste management department official, the civic body control room received 603 complaints from different neighbourhoods, of which 94.3% of cases were resolved. Similarly, NKDA resolved around 40-45 cases daily over the past week. In Kolkata, the highest number of complaints reached the civic headquarters from areas in and around Park Circus and the Tangra-Topsia belt, which fall under Borough 7 (138 complaints). The least number of complaints came from areas in the Cossipore-Dum Dum belt in Borough 2. Ward-wise, most complaints came from the Topsia-Tiljala-Picnic Garden areas that fall under Ward 66, followed by Hazra-Sarat Bose Road neighbourhoods in Ward 69, and Tangra neighbourhoods in Ward 59. A KMC solid waste management department official claimed most of the complaints were attended to within four hours. "We set up special teams in the boroughs to respond to the WhatsApp messages and clean up the mess in four hours," said a KMC SWM department senior official. Depending on the response from the citizens, such special drives may continue, said the civic official. "Our team reached the spots as per complaints received, and the areas were cleaned up at the earliest. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sanitize & Smooth Clothes Fast with Philips Steamer Philips Garment Steamers Learn More Undo Several stretches of the drains and canals were also cleaned up," said an NKDA official. NKDA next plans to come up with dedicated helpline numbers to reach out to residents in matters of grievances about construction and demolition waste, especially in Action Area II and III, where mass construction activities are underway. "Residents will be able to lodge complaints on the dedicated numbers, and the construction and demolition waste will be collected and disposed of at the earliest," said an official.
