Sex workers day discussion in Kolkata

[Guest guest]

Panel Discussion: Commodification of Women and Sex Work – Divergences and

Linkages.

3rd March,2005 Swasthya Bhavan, Salt Lake, Kolkata -3 rd of March was observed

as the Sex Workers Day internationally.The STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention initiatives

of West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society at present reaches out

to a total of 46,275 Female Sex Workers. Serostaistics suggests this group to be

at highest risk with prevalence figures as high as 4.11% for the state of West

Bengal. Experience of working with the sex workers shows the need to look at

Prostitution in the overall context of women’s status in the society and

political and legal regime as well as socio economic conditions that define and

impact on women’s enjoyment of human rights.

Thus, WBSAPCS generated a dialogue through a Panel Discussion on Commodification

of Women and Sex Work – Linkages and Diversions as a human rights issue, a

development issue and an issue of gender discrimination and violence.

Prostitution being just one expression.

The society was privileged to have Shri Surya Kanta Mishra, Honourable Minister

– in- Charge, Dept of Health and Family Welfareas the Guest-in-chief. The event

was fomally inaugurated by Dr K.K.Bagchi, Special Secretary, Health and Family

Welfare

The speakers present were Professor Jasodhara Bagchi:who spoke on Marketing

Sexuality – Cultural linkages (portrayal of women as objects of male desire in

literature and media),Ms. Indrani Sinha, SANLAAP focused her discussion on

Trafficking and Prostittution – the linkages, Mr Roop Sen – Group Development

spoke about – Defining Masculinity & Male Desire (traditions, cultural norms ,

the control of female sexuality as an important factor, links with pornography

and prostitution),Dr. Ranjita Biswas a Psychiatrist consultant enlightened the

audience about Mental health Paradigms for Male & Female Sexuality while Mr.

Pawan Dhall from SAATHI directed his discussion on Alteranative Sexualities –

Paradigm Shift? (whether alternative sexualitites offer a clear drift from the

prevalent paradigm that allows prostitution to continue, the position of the

alternative sexualitites movement about prostitution).

The discussion did bring out that today the various forms of commodification of

women has developed as a global trade where we seem to have accepted that women

can be commodified, that our being is defined for male consumption and pleasure,

that women’s commodification is a reality ,that all women can be purchased

according to patriarchy’s purchasing capacity, that all of us can be tagged and

named for a price.

To sum up the discussion did meet up the objective of drawing out the linkage

and diversions between the two - to strengthen our approach to reach out to the

women in sex work through better understanding of the larger picture - to

continue our efforts to work against the low status and opinion society confers

on women in general – conscientize ourselves and community members to opine

about this whole process which is driving us to accept our low, sub-ordinate

status in society particularly concerning our reproductive and sexual rights.

Menka Jha

E-mail: <menkajha7@...>