While societal and structural factors often constrain women’s agency in patriarchal settings, women nevertheless find creative ways to manifest and develop agency. Female sex workers (FSWs), in particular, are regularly assumed to have little or no agency, but an important body of literature suggests otherwise. To add to this knowledge, this study sought to answer the question: How do FSWs in Mumbai, India, exert agency in personal and professional contexts? In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 FSWs in the Kamathipura red-light area. Four themes emerged: (a) sex work as a rational and empowering choice, (b) resources and assets, (c) sex work as a means of achievement, and (d) managing violence, retribution, and fear. These themes reveal expressions of agency that illustrate how sex workers are intentional, rational, goal-oriented, and resilient. The findings of this study can contribute to the removal of stigma surrounding sex work and inform service providers working with this population in their efforts to treat sex workers with dignity and respect. Further research is needed in this area, especially which centers on the voices of the agentic sex workers themselves.

虽然社会和结构性因素在父权制环境中常常限制女性的能动性，但女性仍然找到创造性的方式来表现和发展能动性。尤其是女性性工作者 (FSW)，通常被认为几乎没有或没有代理，但大量重要的文献表明并非如此。为了增加这些知识，本研究试图回答以下问题：印度孟买的 FSW 如何在个人和职业环境中发挥代理作用？对 Kamathipura 红灯区的 12 名 FSW 进行了深入访谈。出现了四个主题：(a) 性工作作为一种理性和赋权的选择，(b) 资源和资产，(c) 性工作作为一种成就手段，以及 (d) 管理暴力、报复和恐惧。这些主题揭示了代理的表达方式，说明了性工作者是如何有意识的、理性的、以目标为导向的、和弹性。这项研究的结果有助于消除围绕性工作的污名，并告知与该人群一起工作的服务提供者努力以尊严和尊重对待性工作者。这方面需要进一步研究，尤其是关注性工作者自身的声音。