Stigma without exit: caste, sex work and identity among Nat women in Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Debates on sex work in India have largely been framed through binaries of agency versus exploitation, often overlooking the role of caste and community identity in shaping women’s life trajectories. This paper examines the experiences of Nat women in Rajasthan, a denotified community historically associated with stigmatised occupations. It argues that sex work should be understood not only as a livelihood but as a socially embedded form of labour shaped by caste-based exclusion, historical marginalisation and gendered inequalities. Drawing on 30 in-depth interviews with Nat women across five anonymised settlements, the study explores how caste stigma, denotified status, gendered labour expectations and economic marginalisation intersect to shape pathways into and out of sex work. The findings show that entry into sex work is mediated by childhood socialisation, ritual practices, familial obligation and restricted livelihood opportunities. At the same time, women exercise agency in negotiating work, household responsibilities, marriage and livelihood strategies. Exit from sex work does not necessarily result in social acceptance or economic mobility because stigma becomes attached to community identity rather than individual occupational behaviour. The paper introduces the concept of ‘stigma without exit’ to capture this distinction between occupational exit and social exit. It shows how caste-based identity and collective reputation can sustain marginalisation even after women leave sex work. It calls for interventions that address structural inequalities, institutional discrimination and access to dignified alternative livelihoods rather than focusing solely on individual rehabilitation or legal recognition.