By IANS,
Bangalore: A group of sex workers from across the country at a conclave here Wednesday demanded legalization of their profession to end incidences of violence and discrimination against them.
The conclave, titled Sex Workers Rights Activism in India: Achievements and Challenges, is the first of its kind in the country where sex workers discussed various issues and challenges facing them.
The event, which saw participation of around 100 sex workers from across the country, was organised by Karnataka Sex Workers Union in association with several other groups like Aneka, Sangram, Veshya Anyay Mukthi Parishat and Sangama working for the rights of sex workers and sexual minorities in the country.
Geeta, the president of the Karnataka Sex Workers Union, told IANS that her organization was fighting to make prostitution legal.
“On one hand police use force and violence against us. The society also discriminates against us because of our profession. All these violence and discrimination will end once our profession is legalized,” said Geeta.
Echoing her sentiments, Nalini Jameel, a sex worker from Kerala, said the biggest battle for her community was to make the profession legal.
“Once our profession is legalized, nobody can harass us,” said Nalini.
India is estimated to have two million female sex workers. According to a Human Rights Watch report, brothels are illegal ‘de jure’, but in practice they are restricted in location to certain areas of any cities and towns.
“Sex workers are one of the most misunderstood and stigmatised community in India. Criminalization of sex workers and social rejection and violence lead to the denial of human rights of sex workers,” said Manohar, co-director of Sangama from Bangalore.
“In the past two decades sex workers have begun to organize themselves and have made huge gains in terms of visibility and social status in certain pockets of India. At the same time they face enormous challenges including – criminal laws, conflation of sex work and trafficking, high levels of stigma, increased moral policing etc.,” added Manohar.
The sex workers also feel that once their profession is legalized, it would help them fight HIV-AIDS. Sex workers have been identified by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) as the group most vulnerable to HIV-AIDS.