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Banchhada Women: From Celebrated Births to Forced Sex Work in Madhya Pradesh
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 01 Aug 2026, 08:38 AM
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In Madhya Pradesh, the Banchhada community has been known to lavish more on daughters at birth, only to push them into sex work later. The practice, rooted in a legacy of colonial labeling as a ‘criminal tribe’, continues to trap the community in a cycle of exploitation.
The Banchhada, a Scheduled Caste community in Madhya Pradesh, have long been noted for the lavish celebrations that accompany the birth of a daughter. Families invest heavily in nutrition and clothing, hoping to secure a prosperous future for their girls.
However, the same resources are often redirected toward forcing the daughters into sex work, a practice that has drawn criticism from human rights activists and government officials alike. The cycle of exploitation is believed to stem from the community’s historical marginalization and the colonial-era designation of the Banchhada as a ‘criminal tribe’.
In recent years, both state authorities and non‑governmental organisations have launched interventions aimed at breaking this cycle. Initiatives include vocational training, educational scholarships, and legal support for survivors. Yet progress remains slow, as deep‑rooted social attitudes and economic pressures continue to hinder change.
The Banchhada’s plight highlights the broader challenges faced by many marginalized groups in India, where traditional practices and systemic discrimination intersect to perpetuate cycles of poverty and exploitation.
However, the same resources are often redirected toward forcing the daughters into sex work, a practice that has drawn criticism from human rights activists and government officials alike. The cycle of exploitation is believed to stem from the community’s historical marginalization and the colonial-era designation of the Banchhada as a ‘criminal tribe’.
In recent years, both state authorities and non‑governmental organisations have launched interventions aimed at breaking this cycle. Initiatives include vocational training, educational scholarships, and legal support for survivors. Yet progress remains slow, as deep‑rooted social attitudes and economic pressures continue to hinder change.
The Banchhada’s plight highlights the broader challenges faced by many marginalized groups in India, where traditional practices and systemic discrimination intersect to perpetuate cycles of poverty and exploitation.