Re: Protest aganist licensing sex industry in Kolkotta

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

I am troubled by a message 10th April 2004 by Rama Mohan regarding the licensing

of the sex work industry.

I wonder how many sex workers were consulted by this coalition of NGO's

before taking this position. Of all the trade and industry groups in India this

particular one is the most profuse and the most likely to lead to adverse

sexual health outcomes if it is not regulated in some way.

Regulation of course is the most effective way to eliminate the increasingly

high number of children engaged in the industry particularly in Kolkotta. I

would be wanting to comend the Mayor on his foresight in establishing some

form of licensing simply because without it the industry continues to be

dangerous for patrons and workers and access to underage sex workers impossible

to control.

One would have thought that if the emphasis was on unwilling young women and

children being salvaged, that a form of regulation would be the best way to

protect those whose participation in this industry is involuntary.

This email suggests that the sexwork industry is an abomination on society and

has to be eliminated. I'm sure that the people who through circumstances or

choice work in the industry their opinions should also be sought before a

campaign is misdirected to the Mayor.

For those women who choose to leave the industry alternative forms of employment

should be made available that sustains income without having to participate in

the industry. Such is the case in the States of Maharashtra and Kerala in

projects I have visited. Kolkotta is not the first State to license sex workers

and I hope it won't be the last.

Standards of service provision and health checks need to be part of the

licensing provisions of course as is a freedom from arbitrary persecution by law

enforcement officials whose risk behaviour in the field has now exposed dozens

of them to unexpected and sometimes lethal sexually tranmissable infections.

The industry is older than the history of Christendom. India has 600 years of

documented history of the industry especially in the temples so I'm not sure who

the illustrious figures named in the email represent, but before labelling sex

workers or their clients as predators of womanhoodsome consultation with those

who work in the industry is very necessary otherwise you are likely to be

accused of prejudice against the very people who you say you are trying to

protect.

Most of the sex workers I have interviewed in India are hardly slaves to their

craft. For many it is the only way they can feed and school their kids after the

death of a spouse or the abandonment by the father and/or his family.

So lets hear from the sex workers themselves please before we hastily collude

with the coalition of 30 NGO's in Andra Pradesh.

And lets not intentionally confuse trafficking of children with responsible

sex work.

Can someone please forward this email to the Mayor of Kolkotta for me, or give

me his or her email address.

Geoffrey

E-mail: <gheaviside@...>

[Guest guest]

HI Folks,

Mr. Rama Mohan's argument that prostitution is a form of social evil is

acceptable. However just by recogonizing this fact will not eliminate this evil

tradition.

We all know and recogonize this fact. We have continuously fought for

elimination of such tradition, and we will continue doing so. It might take ages

for us to be successful for this.

I agree that prostitution must be condemed. But let us see what is the real

picture. There are many areas, even in small towns/villages, recogonized as red

light areas, where prostitution is rampant. We will not be able to wipe this out

any sooner. All women engaged in this business will continue getting exposed to

men who might have STIs/HIV infection. They will continue to be a reservoir of

SIT/HIV in the society. Immediate salvation to such a threat is safe sex.

Nonlegal professions have no rules and only the powerful dominates.

Men pay for the services, and most do not prefer to use condoms. Consequently

these women are always exposed to the risk of STI/HIV. I see atleast one

positive affect of legalising such a profession, i.e., enforcing the usage of

condom. Government cannot wipe out such a deep rooted tradition, even if it is

committed to do so.

Again I want to make my point clear. I strongly oppose prostitution, at the same

time I also recogonize a major threat to the lives of these innocent women who

are coerced into this profession. By legalizing we are not encouraging this as

any career option to women, but we want to provide immediate protection to

women, and coerce their customers to use condoms.

We can atleast set some rules in this ruthless profession, and try to protect

the health of women. I also recogonize that any strategy is like a double edged

sword. Processes involved in instituting such lisencing and criteria for such

legal permssion have a paramount role.

I am saying this all from whatever little experience I have in working with

women engaged in commercial sex work.

Thanks

Arun Karpur

e-mail:<jaideva76@...>