Figure 1: Eight children living in India's Sonagachi Red Light District
In this rhetorical analysis I have chosen to analyze the documentary “Born into Brothels.” The documentary was released in 2004 and is by Ross Kauffman, cinematographer and founder of Red Light Films, and Zana Briski, photographer in the film. “Born into Brothels” is a recipient of the 77th Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In the film, Zana Briski goes to Calcutta’s red light district, Sonagachi, and lives in a brothel intending to study and document the women in the brothel. However upon arrival she changes her mind and wants to study the children and how their lives are impacted instead (Briski & Kauffman, 2004). Instead of simply interviewing the children and leaving, she teaches the children the art of photography. Briski works directly with eight children (See Figure 1, left to right): Puja (11), Suchitra (14), Kochi (10), Avijit (11), Tapasi (11), Gour (13), Manik (10) and Shanti (11).
The film opens with a few minutes of only visuals to give you an idea of the poverty those who live in Sonagachi, are forced to live in. You are then given a sort of confession from eleven-year-old girl, Puja. At 2:35, she goes on to describe what the men are like that come into her home seeking sexual favors from the women she lives with. At 3:01, he talks about how she is often asked when she will “join the line,” meaning when will she too become a prostitute. The women, Puja says, answer their own question by telling her it won’t be long before she joins them as a prostitute. Puja is only eleven years old and many children her age brought up in this environment are in a similar situation as her (Briski & Kauffman, 2004).
“Everything is illegal but it’s a whole separate society within itself” (Briski & Kauffman, 2004) It is difficult to get law enforcement inside of the red light district because of the conditions. This brings in the issues brought up in the article “Child prostitution: The next push for human rights” written by Anne O’Reilly, which suggests that the conditions a child and their families live in may make it more or less likely for them to be pushed into prostitution (O'Reilly, 1993). O’Reilly states that those families living in poverty will have their child go into prostitution as a way to get money to support themselves (O'Reilly, 1993, para. 12).
“Everything is illegal but it’s a whole separate society within itself” (Briski & Kauffman, 2004) It is difficult to get law enforcement inside of the red light district because of the conditions. This brings in the issues brought up in the article “Child prostitution: The next push for human rights” written by Anne O’Reilly, which suggests that the conditions a child and their families live in may make it more or less likely for them to be pushed into prostitution (O'Reilly, 1993). O’Reilly states that those families living in poverty will have their child go into prostitution as a way to get money to support themselves (O'Reilly, 1993, para. 12).
"Self Portrait" by Avijit
Throughout the movie the children become more and more infatuated with photography and Briski uses that as a way to connect with the children about their living situations. Briski’s goal overall in this process is to get all of the children out of the brothels. She is able to get Avijit, who expresses the most interest and skill in photography, invited to a photography camp in Europe (Briski & Kauffman, 2004).
She also works hard to get majority of the children into the schools offered by FutureHope and Sabera Foundation. Both organizations strive to bring in India’s youth off of the streets and provide them with education but most importantly safety. Unfortunately, some of the mothers of the girls were initially hesitant about letting their child go because that is less income for the family but after much convincing they were able to go (Briski & Kauffman, 2004).
It is critical, that if children are not protected from sex trafficking using strict laws and the enforcement of those laws, there must be resources and organizations for children who need help getting out of sex trafficking. It is not only critical to have those resources internationally but also in the United States as well. Although there is no public awareness of the topic it is important that victims are not left to suffer because of that lack of awareness.
She also works hard to get majority of the children into the schools offered by FutureHope and Sabera Foundation. Both organizations strive to bring in India’s youth off of the streets and provide them with education but most importantly safety. Unfortunately, some of the mothers of the girls were initially hesitant about letting their child go because that is less income for the family but after much convincing they were able to go (Briski & Kauffman, 2004).
It is critical, that if children are not protected from sex trafficking using strict laws and the enforcement of those laws, there must be resources and organizations for children who need help getting out of sex trafficking. It is not only critical to have those resources internationally but also in the United States as well. Although there is no public awareness of the topic it is important that victims are not left to suffer because of that lack of awareness.
