Over 99% sex workers in Pune look for alternate livelihood, shows study

PUNE: A sample survey has shown that 99% of commercial sex workers now want to take up alternative livelihood options during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The sample survey, conducted by Asha Care Trust, a forum that works for the welfare of sex workers, showed that over 85% of the workers have taken loans, while over 98% of them have taken it from their brothel owners, managers and moneylenders, subjecting themselves to further exploitation.
"Budhwar Peth is India’s third-largest red-light area which nearly houses 700 brothels and around 3,000 commercial sex workers. A study of 300 (around 10%) commercial sex workers in Budhwar Peth was conducted for this report," said Sheela Shetty, president of Asha Care Trust.
Shetty said, "Eighty seven percent of workers stated that even before the pandemic struck, their incomes were not sufficient to support themselves or their families. Key factors like lack of education and employable skills force them to depend on one source of income i.e. earning through flesh trade and remain trapped in the vicious circle. Majority of the workers now want to explore alternative sources of livelihood and get away from flesh trade."
She said that Covid-19 has given the NGO an opportunity to create a mechanism to rehabilitate sex workers in mainstream society. "Our survey suggests almost all of them are looking at alternative sources of livelihood in Budhwar Peth region. For the women who opt-out of sex trade, trafficking victim relief fund should be provided to help them pay-off their debt and get started with a new chapter,” she said.
A delegation led by Asha Care Trust along with representatives of other organisations recently met the Pune mayor, Murlidhar Mohol, and submitted the report.