The Pink Booth at GB Road near New Delhi Railway Station (Express Photo By Amit Mehra) For a 40-year-old Seema (name changed), a sex worker in Central Delhi’s Garstin Bastion Road, the Covid-induced lockdowns hit her daily earnings and the education of her two daughters. She wants to change her life but can’t read/write and said she doesn’t have the skills to get a job.
Thursday morning, Seema and 16 other sex workers from GB Road were invited to start learning different skills at a pink booth. Though the pink booth is a women-centric initiative started by the Delhi Police to help women file complaints or get guidance from women officials, at the GB road, it has been revamped to cater to sex workers.
Seema said her partner sold her to a brothel owner around 20 years back and she wishes to leave the place now.
Women Police Officer, Kiron Sethi, at the Pink Booth at GB Road (Express Photo By Amit Mehra) “We had no daily earning during the pandemic. I am still struggling to make ends meet. My daughters couldn’t attend online classes. I am now trying to learn stitching and painting. We have been making handkerchiefs and scarves. Though the earning is little, the booth is a blessing. My daughters are dependent on me and I don’t want them to live here forever. This place is a great place to start something new,” said Seema.
Seema’s friend, a 28-year-old graduate from Bangalore, was abandoned by her friend at the GB road around 10 years back. The friend had cheated her on the pretext of providing her with a job in Delhi but left her.
“There are computers installed here and I am learning how to use the internet and banking services. I live alone and have a 5-year-old son. I hope I learn something good and get a job soon. It feels good to come here. There are only women officials here. I feel safe. Medical staff from hospitals also visit us for training and health check-ups,” said the woman.
Pink Booth at the Sarojni Nagar Market in New Delhi (Express Photo By Amit Mehra) DCP (Central Delhi) Shweta Chauhan started the booth last week and appointed Sub-Inspector Kiran Sethi, who looks into cases of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and rape in Anand Parbat, as the in-charge of the pink booth.
“I have been working with sex workers for a long time. Most of them have been abandoned or cheated by their partners or friends. They are trapped here and many of them want to get out. This is a small step for rehabilitation. Many of them can’t write their names. We are making their bank accounts, Aadhar cards and helping them learn basics,” said SI Rathi.
While the ground floor of the booth is made for officers to take complaints or grievances from women, the first floor has been converted to a hall where sewing machines are kept. The booth also has computers for women. The police have also invited nursing staff from AIIMS to provide job training to seven women. After completion of the training, police said the women can work as helpers at city hospitals and clinics.
DCP Chauhan said, “The women were most affected during the lockdown. We have always tried to rescue women but rehabilitation has been an issue. Some of the women also return to the area because they can’t survive outside. We want to help them and a section of the booth has been set up for their training and skill program. We have also been in touch with staff from AIIMS and teachers from DU colleges to help the sex workers and their families. We are also engaging them in small activities like making Diya and pots so they can earn money and become independent”
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