Prostitution: An unreal reality

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Prostitution: An unreal reality

Prostitution is a fact and its existence is a reality. Though, prostitutes are sex workers, but they are not protected under labour laws. They are not entitled to minimum wage benefits, compensation for injury or other benefits like medical, PF

CJ: uma sharma

Sun, Oct 19, 2008 17:49:59 IST

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Sex Scandals :

IMAGINE, THE company you are working with does not give you any medical allowance and provident fund (PF). You are not entitled to any compensation in case of any injury or termination. Also, in case of misbehaviour or harassment, you can’t file police complaint. How would you feel? Angry or may be frustrated. Did you know millions of sex workers in India are living and working in conditions much worse than the ones mentioned above? Our ignorance is due to our unwillingness to know and face the fact. Prostitution is a fact; its existence is a reality. But, we don’t want to see it, for us it is as real as the roundness of earth. Although, we know earth is round but we can see only flat surface.

In India, approximately two million female sex workers are operating (this number does not include male sex workers). The Immoral Traffic Persons (Prevention) Act or PITA was passed in 1956 to curb prostitution and gradually abolish it by criminalising its various facets. The ambiguity in the law is visible, since it does not make prostitution a crime, but forbids sex workers from publicly pursuing customers. They can’t practice their trade within 200 yards of a public place.

Due to the muddled nature of law; prostitution in India is neither legal nor illegal. Though, prostitutes are sex workers, but unlike other workers they are not protected under labour laws. They are not entitled to minimum wage benefits, compensation for injury or other benefits like; medical, PF. However, they have the right to rescue and rehabilitate (if they desire) and enjoy all the rights that other citizens of India have (only in theory, but in practice things are different). Sex workers are often charged with crimes of imprecise names such as ’public indecency or nuisance’.

Recently, there has been demand for legalising prostitution. According to the advocates of legalisation; Legalising prostitution will help minimise the negative impact of such an activity on society and the vulnerable members in the community. Legalising it will bring in government regulation; this will create a secure environment, for both sex workers and consumers. In a regulated environment, issues like health and hygienen and compensation will be dealt appropriately. Also, regulation and control will help eradicate child prostitution.

It is doubtful, whether India will become a superpower in 2050. But, if present scenario persists, India will undoubtedly become super house of sexually transmitted diseases – it will be much before 2050. This can be prevented only by monitoring and regulating hazardous consequences of high risk sexual activity. Consistently high HIV infection rates among sex workers, coupled with lack of information, failure to use protection, may contribute to the spread of AIDS in the region and the country.

Prostitution, a word prohibited in our drawing rooms. Banned in election campaigns. A word appropriate for talk shows and social workers. A word, which people like us, can only speak as an abuse. The question we should ask ourselves here is -- how long will prostitution be an unreal reality for us?

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Posted comments (4)

	Why not we make some constructive progress by correcting the system that consumes and promotes prostitution rather than promulgate in legalising it ? It is a well known fact that prostitution has in its undercurrent runs ugly and malignant influences in a society such as exploitation, child sex abuses, conscripting (forced) involvement, trafficking, slavery, mafia/goondaism etc. Legalising prostitution would inevitably lead to promoting this entire supply chain of social malice. Promoting such trades that gives short cuts to survival means is in noway going to help a constructive society or create people with high thinking and values which are inevitable for progress.Prostitution is not a taboo but a curse in any society, striving against it is not hypocrisy by unfeigned concern to protect the fabric of a healthy society. In India, We however have practised to tolerate prostitution in the society for the time being as we evolve to much higher grounds in reaching economic stabilisation and security for all, in doing so we also have to learn some lessons from nations such as Sweden that have built in mechanisms to deal with this illness.
	\| 10 November 2008 Reply to Comment \| New Comment \| Report Abuse

	This is a very informative article. Facts have been given but more than that a very humane side has been addressed. The fact that these people are marginalised but need acceptance which is more the need of the hour is a concern. Hope we can understand the courage it takes to live a life of a prostitute!!
	\| 25 October 2008 Reply to Comment \| New Comment \| Report Abuse

	Uma had hit the nail on its head. Hypocrites we are, not being sure whether supporting legalization of prostitution will mean a tacit support to the process, which our upbringing says should not have been there in the first place. Though when we see that under any situation, in any country (irrespective of its GDP or any other indicator), the practice still remains, we still roam around the issue. I think, what the article suggests is a practical and pragmatic solution. Most of us are just lucky that our mothers / sisters / daughters are not there.
	\| 20 October 2008 Reply to Comment \| New Comment \| Report Abuse