Sex workers stage national protest for Rights

[Guest guest]

In what could be described as an unparalleled step to reclaim rights, over 4,000

female, male and transgender sex workers from across the country converged in

New Delhi on 8th March 2006 to oppose the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Amendment

Bill, 2005 and demand their rights.

Demonstrating their resentment against the Bill that threatens to crush their

livelihood, sex workers congregated at Ram Lila Grounds and marched to Jantar

Mantar, stopping people and traffic in the heart of the city.

Marching alongside the National Network of Sex Workers, were individuals and

organizations from diverse fields such as HIV/AIDS, Health, Law and Human

Rights, Gender and Sexuality, and Queer Rights.

Incidentally, a few activists from the Women’s Movement, which has hitherto

distanced itself from sex workers, also came forward to express solidarity.

Drumbeats, colorful banners, placards, posters, and leaflets in multiple

languages marked the rally. Activists carried banners articulating demands that

ranged from protecting their right to work to recognizing regulatory boards set

up by sex workers.

Only Rights Can Stop the Wrongs” signaled one banner, “Empower sex workers, not

Police,” cautioned another. The march was interspersed with speeches and slogans

against the criminalisation of sex work.

The pivotal point of protest was, however, the new Section 5C that punishes

clients visiting brothels for sexual exploitation.

Protesters pointed out that not only does the new provision endanger their

earnings but also increases the risk of HIV transmission in commercial sex. “The

new provision will allow the Police to stop and arrest any man who walks into a

brothel, irrespective of whether he seeks an adult consenting sex worker or an

underage girl/ trafficked survivor.

To avoid the Police, clients will solicit sex more clandestinely, in isolated

places. Under such circumstances, how can we insist on safer sex and get the

client to use a condom?” questioned sex workers from Sonagachi, the well-known

red light area in Kolkata, where condom use is near universal.

" Section 5C is a direct assault on our work, health, safety and rights and we

will resist it to the very end " - was the collective and uncompromising call of

protesters.

Unmindful of the potential consequences of coming out, sex workers posed for

cameras, and freely interacted with both media and spectators lining the

streets. “Till now, I stayed away from public events for fear that I will be

identified as a whore, but today, when my very survival is at stake, I have come

out in protest, notwithstanding public identification or ridicule” – said a male

sex worker, who traveled all the way from East Godavari district in Andhra

Pradesh to take part in the rally.

The protest concluded with representatives submitting a memorandum of appeal to

the Prime Minister’s Office to reject the ITPA Amendment Bill in its present

form. Unquestionably, it was a historic day for the Sex workers’ Rights Movement

in India.

_____________

Tripti Tandon

Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit

1st Floor, 63/2, Masjid Road,

Jangpura, New Delhi - 110 014

Phone -91-11-24377101, 24377102, 24372237

Fax - 91-11-24372236

e-mail - aidslaw1@...