Cultural Capital, Caste Structure and Trafficking of Dalit Girls in India

Caste plays a significant role in driving trafficking in India, especially among lower-caste communities. Dalits, historically oppressed and marginalized by upper castes, face systemic challenges such as untouchability, limited inheritance rights, occupational marginalization, and restricted access to education. Dalit girls, positioned at the intersection of caste and gender, face heightened risks of sexual violence and exploitation. Their marginalized socio-economic status, lack of legal protection, and educational deprivation limit their survival options, often pushing them into structural vulnerability. Traffickers, brothel owners, clients, and sardar manipulate these socio-cultural traits, seen as forms of "cultural capital," to exploit vulnerable girls.

This study uses a content analysis to examine the trafficking of Dalit girls, incorporating Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital and Sen’s capability approach. Bourdieu’s framework helps illustrate how traffickers exploit caste hierarchies through embodied, objectified, and institutionalized cultural capital. Sen’s capability approach highlights how structural barriers—economic, social, and cultural, further limit Dalit families' ability to escape cycles of exploitation. The research demonstrates how the lack of cultural and economic capital, combined with restricted capabilities, perpetuates vulnerability across generations, making Dalit girls particularly susceptible to trafficking.