Sex on the move: 'Mobile' brothels a huge hit in Chennai

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Sex on the move: 'Mobile' brothels a huge hit in Chennai

By our Chennai Correspondent

Mobile brothels manned by cell-phone toting operators are proving to

be a hit in Chennai, according to a new study. For those in the

trade, running a mobile unit makes sound business sense as it cuts

down on operational costs of renting a building and bribing the cops.

As for the client, it promises 'pick and drop' facility of sex

workers at a place of his choice. More than 17 mobile units operate

from cars in the city, according to Chennai-based NGO Indian

Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO), which works with Commercial

Sex Workers (CSWs).

The ICWO estimates the volume of sex business in the city at Rs 3.33

crore per month in its latest study. According to the study, there

are 6,300 women sex workers operating from all over the city, around

the year. " They are spread over in all parts of the city, " says A J

Hariharan, secretary, ICWO.

The sex workers have been broadly classified as family girl, street

worker, brothel based, and mobile. Family girls form the majority of

the lot, numbering 4500. There are 350 street workers, and 90 mobile

workers, according to the study. It was found that 55 percent of the

sex workers came from Andhra Pradesh, 24 percent from Tamil Nadu and

11 percent from Kerala. The study identified 150 full time brokers

and an estimated 4500 part time brokers.

It has been found that clients are serviced at 'normal houses',

besides brothels, hotels and lodges. These houses are used for short-

term stay and rent is paid for the hours used. At least 91 such

houses exist in the city. According to the study, an estimated

11,111 paid sexual encounters take place in the city.

It was found that 93 percent of the CSWs were into the trade out of

compulsions and not out of choice. 78 percent of the respondents said

they would not allow their children to enter the profession. It was

found that 68 percent of the respondents used condoms regularly

during sex. The 32 percent who did not use condoms on a regular basis

gave different reasons for not using them.

Thirty percent said they couldn't use condoms with regular clients.

Another 30 percent said they would forget to wear it at times and 10

percent felt that condom usage would prolong sexual activity.

Another 10 percent said some clients would object to it. About 20

percent said they knew better techniques to avoid infection!

As for reasons why they chose to be sex workers, 31 percent

respondents said they entered the profession due to family debts and

29 percent said their husbands deserted them. About 29 percent said

their lovers had ditched them.

Clients were asked why they visited sex workers. 21 percent said

their wives had health problems. At least 17 percent said they came

for oral sex and 10 percent said their wives were not interested in

sex. Seven percent said they had grown up children at home and six

percent said their wives refused to have sex with them. Eleven

percent came for a change, for 22 percent it had become a regular

practice, and for six percent, sex was a passion.

The objective of the study was to map areas in the city where

commercial sex workers operated and to " understand the sex industry "

in Chennai. The Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society supported the

study with the intention of using the information to frame suitable

strategy for HIV/AIDS intervention programs.

About 43 percent of the sex workers who were interviewed for the

survey were in the 26-35 age group. 26 percent was in the 19-25 age

group. About 20 percent was in the 36-40 age group and 10 percent was

in the above-40 age group. The team interviewed 300 women sex

workers. Among the 300, 180 belonged to the family category, 80

street workers, 30 brothel based, and 10 from the mobile units.

Twenty pimps, 20 lodge/house owners, and 20 hotel room boys were also

interviewed.

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