Sex workers denied basic rights, access to welfare schemes

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

Karnataka Sex Workers Union along with other s t a k e h o l d e r s held a symposium to discuss the challenges faced by sex workers on a daily basis and the changes in the wake of the recent Supreme Court order that has recognised sex work as a profession.

The union leaders highlighted that sex workers are unable to access basic government entitlements. “Once our identity is revealed, the homeowner tends to ask for more rent or wants us to vacate. We never get to live in a home long enough to be able to acquire an address proof, making it hard for us to obtain government documents like ration cards,” said Bhagya, a sex worker.

Another major concern was the unavailability of government schemes for women who retire from sex work, often at the age of 40. Many sex workers are disowned by their children after learning about their identity. They also called for the repeal of the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA) which criminalises acts such as running a brothel, adult children living on the earnings of prostitution, soliciting in or in the vicinity of public places.

They demanded trafficking not to be so closely associated with prostitution, for it leads to harassment of people who voluntarily choose to do sex work. Poorna R, an advocate and activist from Alternative Law Forum, explained the different aspects of the recent Supreme Court guidelines which directed the National Legal Services Authority to make sure that sex workers are not treated as victims.

“The SC order is good for the street-based sex workers but it continues to criminalise brothels and brothel-based workers. It is a good tool in the hands of sex workers to fight systemic violence,” she said.

B.T. Venkatesh, former State public prosecutor said, “Sex work is work and sex workers deserve respect and dignity for which they have been fighting for over 25 years. Now it is important to make sure that the Supreme Court directives are implemented.”

“There is an urgent need to provide housing facilities for sex workers just like all marginalised communities and we are ready to recommend to the government to provide free houses and education for the children of sex workers,” said M.G. Paly, General Manager, Karnataka Women Development Corporation.

Neethi P from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) along with Anant Kamath from the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), took the opportunity to announce their co-authored book titled the ‘Urban Undesirables’, which documents the stories of street-based sex workers in Bengaluru.