All India Conference of Entertainment Workers (EC2007)

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend/s,

Greetings from Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee!

Tentative Themes, Issues, Papers, Presentations & Workshops for the ensuing All

India Conference of Entertainment Workers (EC2007)

Hope you are already aware about our initiative to hold " All India Conference of

Entertainment Workers (EC2007) " scheduled to be held at Kolkata, West Bengal,

India during 25th February - 3rd March 2007. In this connection we wish to share

the tentative themes and issues, the conference will be structure around. We

would be happy to have your feedback regarding the themes and will help us to

design the final program.

Tentative Themes, Issues, Papers, Presentations & Workshops for the ensuing All

India Conference of Entertainment Workers (EC2007)

1.. What is the Right to Entertainment and why should we have it?

2.. Is Sex Work -Work?

3.. Marital and non-marital sexuality.

4.. Right of individual human beings in the context of Sexual Entertainment.

5.. Should Sex Education be included in the School curricula?

6.. Entertainment, Cultivation of The Arts and the role of the government in

controlling these pursuits.

7.. Is there any space for Sex Workers Movement in the Women's Movement?

8.. One's own story for others:

The stories of the :

a.. Male Sex Workers,

b.. Female Sex Workers,

c.. Children of Sex Workers,

d.. Hijras

Symposium :

a.. The Sexual cultures of Our Country and of other countries.

b.. Social relevance of Entertainment Workers in development.

Open Forums :

1.. Life - Sexuality - Sexual Habits.

2.. Homosexuals and their Rights.

3.. The role of Entertainment Workers in the Trade Union Movement.

4.. Gender, Sexuality & Entertainment Workers.

Debate :

1.. Why there is no space for the sex workers in the Women's Movement.

2.. Protection of women versus defense of the Rights of Women.

3.. Why the third gender in absent in the debate around gender difference /

gender based discrimination.

4.. The social and political aspects of Rape and sexual life related

oppression.

Workshop :

a.. Addressing Anti-Trafficking issues through engagement of Entertainment

Workers.

Research :

a.. Where have all the earlier entertainment workers gone?

b.. Why have they vanished?

c.. Repression, Decadence and Torture.

d.. Role of sexual Repression in the construction and maintenance of a

subservient society.

Media :

a.. The role of government in the cultivation of the arts related to sexual

entertainment.

b.. The scope and importance of sexuality in the discourse of gender based

inequity.

Look forward to hear from you.

Regards,

Ms. Bisakha Laskar & Mr. Govinda Saha

Joint Convenor

All India Conference of Entertainment Workers (EC2007)

12/5 Nilmoni Mitra Street, Kolkata 700006

India

Ph. No. : 033 25336514

TeleFax : 033 25303148 / 6619

Email : durbar.ec2007@...

URL : www.durbar.org

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Placed below are my views on prostitution or sex work which I think must be

legalized:

" The institution of prostitution resulted from the fact that in olden days, men

used to exercise all powers and women were merely their " Gharwalis " or

House-keepers who looked after their home, bore them children, satisfied their

sexual urge but had no powers. Now, it is a well-known fact that power makes

person potent also as sexual hormones are produced as a result of enjoying

powers. So, men became very potent and their women could not satisfy them. So,

they went to other women for gratifying their sexual appetite.

Our ancestors recognized this fact and Introduced the system of Devdasis and

Courtesans where women were offered to the gods or the kings for serving the

visitors to a temple or a town. There was

also a system of " Nagar Vadhus " . There is a mention in Rig Vedas of the

institution of prostitution. Some Muslim sects had also started offering girls

to 'dargas'. The girl is married to Koran, Nikah is

performed, and the girl is called 'bibi' and is condemned to lead a life of

prostitution.

The Immoral Trafficking of Persons Prevention Act prohibits prostitution in its

commercial form without declaring prostitution, per se, an offence. Also, the

act does not provide for any punishment for the client. In a study on

prostitution in Mumbai, it was found that the number of prostitutes arrested was

disproportionate to the number of pimps, procurers, brothel-keepers arrested.

Obviously, the reason for this is a nexus between the traffickers and the

police.

The crime is registered under Section 7 of the ITPA entailing only three months

imprisonment. On the other hand, Sections 3, 4 and 5 provide much severe

punishment, but they are never invoked against the

traffickers.

Having given an account of what the laws say, I am of the opinion that no law

can undo prostitution given the condition that most of the people have to go

away from their homes to other places including foreign countries, to earn a

living but meanwhile they have to satisfy their sexual urge otherwise as is well

known to the doctors, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and even social workers

and other observers that the concerned person who suppresses his natural urge of

sexual gratification would go mad and commit more heinous crimes.

In the present context, this applies to women also because these days they are

becoming powerful and hence have more sexual libido. Police has also registered

some cases against male prostitutes.

Moreover, people from our military and paramilitary forces who have to live way

from their homes are most vulnerable to the HIV/AIDS as their duties involve

remaining away from their homes. Therefore, the only viable solution is to

legalize prostitution as has been done in Netherlands, Germany and Australia.

The cases of HIV/AIDS have dropped in these countries after the prostitution was

legalized. "

Similarly, I feel that homosexuality should also be legalized.

I would have attended this Conference if it were held in Delhi. I think that the

main aim of the Conference should be to ask for legalization of prostitution or

sex work and homosexuality.

I would like to send a cheque for Rs.700/- to the Conference. Please let me know

in which institution's name, the cheque should be sent and at what address.

Satbir Singh Bedi

e-mail: <ssbedi1945@...>