India Witnessing Growth of 'High-Price' Commercial Sex Workers,

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India Witnessing Growth of 'High-Price' Commercial Sex Workers,

[sep 16, 2008] A new group of " high-price " commercial sex workers is emerging

in India and " servicing India's nouveau riche and the throng of foreign

businessmen drawn to a booming economy, " Reuters reports.

Although the group largely constitutes educated women from middle-

class families who consider sex work a " lucrative and even glamorous

profession, " many sex workers in India -- which has the world's

third highest HIV/AIDS caseload -- are HIV-positive and are forced

into the work by " crushing poverty, " according to Reuters.

The growth of " high-end " sex work in the country highlights not only

the affluence of India's upper classes but also the " changing role

of women in a deeply conservative society, " Reuters reports.

Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research in New Delhi, said,

" Only 2% to 3% of India's prostitutes enter the profession willingly. These are

the high-class girls, and it is them exercising their democratic rights. " Anuja

Agrawal, a sociologist at the University of Delhi, said, " With the changes in

the economy and increased consumerism, the Indian woman is under pressure to

conform to a highly capitalistic image which requires a lot of money to upkeep, "

adding, " If Indian society were to really allow their women to be free, they

won't be forced to conform to such a rigid

behavior. "

Commercial sex work is illegal in India, but some groups estimate that there

are two million sex workers in the country (Lee, Reuters, 9/14).

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=54467