Respect dignity of our labour, say sex workers

Cannot adult women, who have the right to choose a profession, opt for sex work and continue in the field with dignity, and just walk out when they feel it’s the time to exit? Why the infringement on “our space” in the garb of providing rehabilitation?

These are the conflicting questions sex workers ask society. The government rightfully condemns trafficking but fails to find the “thin line” that separates the women willing to stay in the profession from those forcefully “pushed into the trade”.

The latter require rehabilitation and skill training for eking out a living, but the former say “Leave us alone”.

“When unemployment is rampant all over, where and how will the government rehabilitate the sex workers. And what if we don’t accept their offer,” asked Nisha Gulur of the Karnataka Sex Workers Union (KSWU) and president of the National Network of Sex Workers (NNSW). The query finds resonance from Sangeetha Manoj of Sangli (Maharashtra) representing the Veshya Anyay Mukthi Parishat (VAMP) and Mukti associated with the Uttara Karnataka Mahila Okkoota (UKMO).

“Though we are not ‘extremely happy’, still we earn enough to send money to our children and aged parents, which we do not want to lose,” points out P. Alivelu, who heads “Me and My World”, the sex workers’ collective of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Members of these collectives were in Tirupati recently for the meeting conducted on measures to combat trafficking.

Expressing concern over their victimisation, representatives of “the society” advised them to move out, which the sex workers resisted, demanding respect to their “well thought out” decision to stay put.

“You want your educated children in other fields, which means all is not well here. Then why don’t you move out?” pondered D. Usha Rani, former Director of the Sri Venkateswara University’s Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS).

‘They deserve

better deal’

Interacting with The Hindu, Women’s Initiatives (WINS) Secretary R. Meera said sex work would exist as long as sexuality existed and appealed to society not to stigmatise sex workers based on their profession. “Till the time they wish to move out, they deserve a better deal.”

Appreciating their idea of forming a union, B. Katama Raju, Dy. SP (Women) in the Tirupati Urban police district, offered to extend protection for “voluntary” sex workers from external violence. He suggested to them to bring to light cases of trafficking, brothels, forced sex or the presence of minors in the field. CWS Deputy Director Sai Sujatha sought a human touch to solve the issue.