Karan, AbraarHansen, Nathan2018-03-202018Karan, Abraar, and Nathan Hansen. 2018. “Does the Stockholm Syndrome affect female sex workers? The case for a “Sonagachi Syndrome”.” BMC International Health and Human Rights 18 (1): 10. doi:10.1186/s12914-018-0148-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12914-018-0148-4.http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:35014871Female sex workers are subjected to intense physical, sexual, and mental abuses that are well documented in the medical and public health literature. However, less well-studied are the mental coping mechanisms that are employed by women in this population to survive. The Stockholm Syndrome has been discussed in the news media as a potential phenomenon in this vulnerable population, but has not been formally studied. From a previous retrospective qualitative analysis reviewing interviews with women in sex work throughout India, we found that the four main criteria for Stockholm Syndrome (perceived threat to survival; showing of kindness from a captor; isolation from other perspectives; perceived inability to escape) are present in narrative accounts from this population. Thus, we propose that Stockholm Syndrome should be considered as a contributing phenomenon with regard to the psychological challenges faced by female sex workers, and can likely help guide interventions accordingly.en-USJournal Article2018-03-2010.1186/s12914-018-0148-4