'Police raids can increase AIDS risk'

[Guest guest]

'Police raids can increase AIDS risk'

The Asian Age March 12, 2002 - Drimi Chaudhuri

Kolkata, March 11: Police raids on red light areas and harassment of sex workers

by gangs can increase the danger of AIDS spreading, Sonagachhi Project

coordinator Mrinal Kanti Dutta said on Sunday.

He explained that raids and harassment will prevent sex workers from organising

themselves and they will prefer to leave these areas and work freelance. This

will increase the threat of AIDS, he said. A survey has revealed that sex

workers also feel safer in areas where their network is organised. " The survey

has been conducted by Durbar Mahila Samannay Committee, the apex body of sex

workers in the state. It shows that women don't feel threatened in such areas

and they don't take the risk of indulging in unsafe sex, " Mr. Dutta said.

Project director Smarajit Jana said HIV prevalence among sex workers in

Sonagachhi has remained steady at about 5 per cent since 1992. HIV rates among

sex workers have increased in most other parts of India as these areas are

controlled by organised criminals and, therefore, under constant police

monitoring. " Sonagachhi is in a safer environment and use of condoms has

increased from 3 per cent in 1992 to 70 per cent in 1994 and to 90 per cent at

present. With social empowerment of sex workers in Sonagachhi and other red

light areas in the city, the STD transmission rate has also dropped by 17 to 20

per cent, " Dr Jana said.

National Network of Sex Workers official Banamallika Chowdhury confirmed that

atrocity-free red lights as less prone to HIV/AIDS. " Active participation in

planning and implementing the project helped sex workers of Kolkata realise

their power to fight exploitation. The result has been a community movement

which improved all aspects of sex workers' lives, " she said.

Dr. Jana said the Centre plans to replicate the Sonagachhi model in other cities

but it has less chances of success in places like Mumbai or Delhi as the sex

trade in these cities are controlled by organised criminals. " To make the impact

felt, there should be constant negotiation among politicians, gang leaders,

brothel owners and pimps, " he said.

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Dr.Jagdish Harsh ( jharsh@... )

Director of Administration and Operations

François-Xavier Bagnoud (INDIA) ( www.fxb.org )

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