Re: Legalization of prostitution

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

This is in response to whether Prostitution should be legalised. Though I agree

that with legalization the prostitutes will get some dignity and they might get

freedom to choose their clients to some extent. They will still be exploited. I

strongly feel so. Because the biggest Legalized Institute in India is marriage

Institute that presents innumerable examples of physical, emotional, sexual

exploitation of the women. If marriage institute has failed miserably in this

aspect, how do you think the legalization will of any help to the prostitutes?

As far as the safety and sexual harassment aspect is concerned, that will hardly

change because the man who has visited a legally available prostitute at night

can very much be free to rape/sexually harass any vulnerable victim he comes

across.I fail to understand how legalization will satisfy the wild urge these

men have because they look at women only sex –satisfying machines.

If at all the government is serious about justice for women, then other than

providing girls’ regular education , vocational education should be strictly

implemented at grass root level giving them jobs so that their entry to the

prostitution, if it out of financial need, which usually the case is , can be

limited.

So also the people involved in the sexual harassment of the vulnerable women

be adequately and quickly punished. A school girl whose sister was a rape victim

(her uncle had molested her) when asked what punishment her Uncle deserved, said

that she would want to cut his penis off and and bottle it in formalin solution

to be handed over to him.He can keep it nicely in the drawing room shelf as a

Trophy of Acheivement-‘Mardanagi’!

Divya Mithel

E-mail: <d_mithel@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM, two messages are combined [moderator]

1) What is required before legalization is the social acceptance of sex work.

Sreeram Varadadesikan

2) Legalising prostitution should not be the soluation to overcome

social and economic condition

Subhash Chandorikar

_____________________

1) What is required before legalization is the social acceptance of sex work.

Sreeram Varadadesikan

Legalization or not, there will be little difference in the lives of women

in sex work on the positive side in India. I am not stating this under the

impression that legalizing sex work would result in increased trafficking,

or more children coming into it, or even that marriage will be threatened.

These things happen irrespective of the legality issue of sex work.

On the other hand, by legalizing sex work, we will bringing more people in

the form of issuers of licenses, doctors who should give health certificates

etc., into play. Invariably, these people will be the next set of oppressors,

demanding money, free sex et al. Police will find other ways of harassing women

in sex work, for they cannot suddenly stop getting all the free moolah that they

get today! Most importantly, legalizing sex work would render illegal all the

street-based and other non-red light area based sex work, which is very much

predominant in many states of our country. More relevant are instances of

evictions galore like that in Surat or Goa recently, rendering thousands of

women homeless, and taking to the streets..

Legalization may render ineffective any " legal " moves planned by perpetrators,

and also remove the Damocles sword of the law from over the sex worker's heads.

But what is required before legalization is the social acceptance of sex work.

This alone can help reduce violence in the lives of the millions in sex work.

Once social acceptance is in place, no one would bother if it is legal or

otherwise, like dowry, domestic violence and the little social practices that we

continue despite any laws against them, just because there is no social

acceptance. So a debate should first happen on the social acceptance of sex work

before anything can be brought about legalizing it or decriminalizing it. Lest

all this will remain on papre like so many social laws are today.

Sreeram

E-mail: <setlurs01@...>

___________________________________________

2) Legalising prostitution should not be the soluation to overcome social and

economic condition

Subhash Chandorikar

This referes to Divya Mithel's opinion on legalising prostitution.

Infact The Honourable Governer of Maharashtra had requested to Chief

minister of Maharastra for such provision in the month May2004.

This was practised in Australia, since 1980.But result was not good.

Legalising prostitution should not be the soluation to overcome

social and economic condition. Intodays contaxt brothel prostitution

is dangerous to family men and women. Law and policy will not help

to control such problems.

Infact Religions of the country should take step to advise for good

guidlines and government should step in to control prostitution. Or

provide alternative income sources to these women. Roughly 95% women

have joinend unwillingly inorder to meet daily needs. So we must

protest Legalization of prostitution.

Thank you.

Subhash Chandorikar

E-mail: <searchsmc@...>