Trafficked Victims/Women in Sex Work have been mercilessly tortured...Hyderabad/Andhra Pradesh: Chaithanya Mahila Mandali(CMM)

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

With so much of Awareness and Advocacy still the trafficked

Victims/Women in Sex Work have been mercilessly tortured, Insulted,

humiliated by the Circle Inspector, Gopal Puram Police Station,

Secunderabad/Hyderabad on 11/02/2011.

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali (CMM) an activist (CBO) ,serving with and

for these Victims, has staged a “Protest” this morning (12/02/2011)

and called for a press meet in front of the Police Station, asking for

a justice, result to which Asst. Commissioner of Police came down and

gave an assurance to the Protesters (CMM) that such things will not be

repeated.

Photos are attached herewith in a face book Link (Chaitanya Mahila Mandali)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=47791 & id=1781659426 & l=a262655f9c

Jayamma.B

President

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali(CMM)

H.No:12-10-399/2A, IIFloor, Opp.Suresh Theater

Sitafalmandi, Secunderabad-61

Andhra Pradesh, India.

Telephone:+91-40-64605251

e.mail: info@...

www.chaithanyamahilamandali.org

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Re: /message/12546

At the outset I would like to state my confusion on the title of this mail

" trafficked victims/women in sex work " . Are these synonymous?

Since we have a center in Gopalapuram Police Station and have close

collaboration working with the Circle Inspector I was shocked to read this post

supposedly by Jayamma. I immediately contacted the Inspector and my team to

ascertain facts.

Apparently on the 11th Feb 2011, 8 women in sex work were caught by the Rakhshak

Police under 68 City Police Act. When these women were in the station,four

members from Chaitanya Mahila Mandali came to Gopalapuram Station demanding for

their release immediately.

At about the same time the Circle Inspector was dealing with a complainant who

reported that on the previous day he had boarded a sharing auto from Alpha Hotel

to go to Balanagar. A woman was already seated inside when he boarded. When the

auto reached Parade grounds the auto driver suddenly deviated the auto to a

remote place and he and the woman threatened the man with a knife and snatched

his gold chain and money.

As the complainant was narrating his ordeal the representatives of CMM entered

the CI office. Suddenly the complainant was pointing out to one of the members

of CMM alleging she was the woman in the auto who had stolen his money and

snatched the chain.

The CI immediately responded by questioning the alleged accused,which was of

course immediately denied. By this time the CMM representatives were quite

agitated and they started abusing and threatening the police with international

repercussion (I am not sure I understood that correctly).

The CMM representatives also claimed that the women who were caught soliciting

were actually peer educators who were into HIV/AIDS awareness and condom

promotion. So the CI requested the CMM representatives to give a list of peer

educators who have been rehabilitated through CMM's efforts. The CMM refused to

give such a list on grounds of confidentiality.

At this moment I would like to refrain making any personal comments, as the

intention of this mail is just to state a few facts which was not reported.

I also would like the forum to know about another incident which happened with

us in Prajwala.

A few years back we had booked a case of minor trafficking in Gopalapuram Police

Station. At that time Jayamma, President of Chaitanya Mahila Mandali accompanied

by two officials from TSU had come to my office asking me to withdraw the case

as one of accused was a peer educator and she was HIV positive!

I do not want to comment on the work done by CMM but if they are claiming that

the women whom they are serving are trafficked victims then they should

immediately report to the police, support to rescue the victims and refer for

rehabilitation. Further they could also monitor whether rehabilitation program

implemented by other NGO's is effective...adequate etc.

 

Needless to say sensitization of police is an ongoing issue, but the million

dollar question is on what ? Human trafficking or sex work.

am sure this august forum understands they are not the same.

Sunitha Krishnan  

e-mail: <sunitha_2002@...>

[Guest guest]

Respected AIDS INDIA Group Members:

/message/12552

Before getting into the Point, I would like to ask Sunitha Krishnan a

question... Is she not a woman just as one of the said torturturd

women by a Police with his Shoes, Belt and Lathe?

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali itself a Forum for Women in Sex work, formed

only to find a solution to the recurrent rounding up and harassment by

the police.

In the year 2004, there were 90 women forcibly arrested in the same

police station and tested for HIV and CMM has taken –up the issue to

High Court with the support of Lawyers Collective and the interim

judgment was given to the police Dept that Police Station is not the

Place for Forcible HIV testing..

Above all, CMM has been successfully contributing in a greater level

to the Government of India/ APSACS‘s initiative in reversing and

Halting HIV in India, especially among the women in Sex Work ever

since the year 2001.

We a community based Organization working towards Sex Workers Rights not for

Legalization and if one found to be guilty, need to be filed a case against, for

which we are not against off, whereas, inhuman beating is not tolerated and

CMM being a Sex workers Collective would never remain our eyes closed.

We are quite sure that, whatever the Incident happened on the said day

and the nonstop persecution by the police against the said community

lay on her( Sunitha’s) handy work, just because of her jealous nature

and sadism to defeat CMM’s movement for the community, Woman like her

thousands may raise, our Voice would continue to spell…..

Anyway, it is our waste of time to give her an explanation on the

statement that she posted on behalf of her aide, the Circle Inspector.

However, it is my responsibility to convey to the respected forum and

my fellow women in the field that “if Sunitha’s created Story has to

be believed then Why the Police has not filed a case against any of

the arrested Women, even after locking them up in the Station for more

than 12 hours and left them at midnight??

I think, Sunitha when advised the Circle Inspector to harass these women, forget

to inform the story that she had it in mind to support the arguments.

The Police do it, we can understand due to pressure of Law and Order,

whereas, It is very difficult to digest especially Sunitha being the

woman doing this, surviving at the cost of the Community, Had she

never thought ever about a women when beaten up so severely on her

private parts in the lock-up by the Police by Lathe, Belt and

Shoes?

Reg. List that she narrated: Myself (Jayamma), along with the Outreach

team including Peer Educators, had met the said Circle Inspector on

his transfer to the said Police Station on 10/12/2010 with the aim is

to let him know, what we do and submitted a letter along with the

Xeroxed Copy of each Out Reach Staff Identity Cards in Color and in

turn he appreciated our service and assured his cooperation and there

were no arrests till the last incident (11/02/2011).

Jayamma

President

www.chaithanyamahilamandali.org

--

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali(CMM)

H.No:12-10-399/2A, IIFloor, Opp.Suresh Theater

Sitafalmandi, Secunderabad-61

Andhra Pradesh, India.

*Telephone:+91-40-64605251*

*e.mail: info@...*

*www.chaithanyamahilamandali.org*

[Guest guest]

Dear Fourm,

Re: /message/12546

One,especially likeminded CBOs, NGO's,Net works ,Funding Agencies, and etc, has

to appriciate Ms.Jayamma, for she has been contributing a lot to the sex workers

community , and to the Gov. Of India in reversing and halting the HIV epdimic.

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali, has been one of the official partners in TI

interventions in Andhra Pradesh and also,One of the Learning Sites under NACO/

CARE SAKSHAM .

Ms.Jayamma's contributions has been highly regarded not only within the AIDS

control Program but to the whole society , thus she was facilitated and

presented her an award by a national news channel , TV-9 on the 8/03/2010.

Whereas, due to personal gains , Chaithanya Mahila Mandali has been targetted by

Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, the reason I mention here is based on her statement

against CMM members, the said story by Dr.Sunitha has to be supported then , why

the police did not file any case against them and released after having beating

them for more than 12 hrs...

Therefore, it is my sincear request to everyone in the fourm to hold hand with

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali to continue their mission to accomplish their Vision,

for we need them too and if we continue to keep ourselves away from them except

using them for selfish accomplishments of out funding targets then we are still

using them as sex workers the use and through machine.

Hope the Fourm would support her/ Chaithanya Mahila Mandali from the state of

discouragement.

Thanks and Regards

Jaya Singh.

Social Worker since 1999

Hyderabad

e-mail: <jayasingh_1999@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Fourm:

Re: /message/12552

What will happen if all the 12, OO, OOO sex workers in the Nation stand united

and take a decision that no sex worker should use a condom until their basic

rights are protected???

I think, to say this; they  need  never any National intellectual Networks, or

State intellectual Net Works to give them training…

I think the day is very near because they are tired of attending all the

trainings/Workshops, partaking in Net works, conferences organized by different

groups whenever they get some funds to fill the papers with ink.

Everybody is, including Government and private bodies busy writing stories on

sex workers to lure funds from everywhere, but, none of them actually come to

their rescue and hold their hands to find a workable and lasting solutionat the

time of their cry for help. 

I am sure, unless and until the Government and the private bodies, who are

trapping all the Government and Philanthropic funds from the Nation and all over

the world, comes forward to help these women to find a lasting solution on the

inhuman torture and false case filing by the police and etc, whatever, the

effort that One may take would never bring considerable impact….

If India wants to be free from new HIV infections, then ,these 12,00,000 sex

workers rights need to be protected on the first hand  , which is something an

emergency  of the hour  in the country, otherwise it is going to  explode very

soon and we continue to keep ourselves away  from them, except asking them to

use condoms and standing on their left  silently  enjoying, when she is beaten

up and filed a false case in front of our own eyes,  then, we are no way

different from one of their clients who just use then through after having met

his lust.

Sex Worker needs to be valued  and acknowledged as the Primary Partner more than

a Funder in HIV Prevention and Control, for she has to cooperate at the first

hand to accept and negotiate her clients to use condoms to fulfill the National

AIDS Control Program Goal and, above all, all our lives too remain in their

gracious hands.

It may look strange for some, but it is True.

It is not just THEY but WE-the Present and future Generation Understand and  it

our time to act.

 

Jaya Singh.

Hyderabad.

e-mail: <jayasingh_1999@...>