Prostitution should be legalised: Priya Dutt

[Guest guest]

Prostitution should be legalised: Priya Dutt

Mid-Day.com

Posted on Jan 24, 2011 at 05:32pm IST

Mumbai: Supplanting her father as a beacon of hope for the marginalised women of

Kamathipura, Congress MP Priya Dutt asserted her pro-legalisation stance

regarding prostitution.

Also, she said, the sex workers of the area, currently facing dislocation,

should be rehabilitated elsewhere in the city.

She even plans to meet Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to push for the cause.

After MiD DAY's report ('No Sex at Kamathipura', January 18) on how adherents of

the world's oldest profession are being forced to evacuate on account of a

proposed redevelopment of the area, Priya has been unsettled.

Distressed

The 44-year-old MP from Mumbai's North-Central constituency said she is

distressed that neither builders, nor the government, nor their landlords, have

any space to reintegrate the women.

Legitimising the trade, Priya thinks, will give the sex workers a minimal amount

of recognition, so they can lead a life where the prospect of being homeless

does not stare them in the face.

" Prostitution should be legalised here on the lines of other countries. If the

trade is regularised, sex workers will be secure through registration and

licences. They will have documents to prove their identity and will not be

evicted, " Priya said, adding, " I will meet the CM and tell him that these women

need to be rehabilitated. "

The first thing she did after reading about the impending displacement was call

Dr Ishwar Gilada. As the honorary secretary of People's Health Organisation,

India a non-profit trust for controlling child prostitution and HIV/AIDS Gilada

has been working with sex workers.

Ensconcing Priya's stand on the question, he said, " The best way out of the

problem is to legalise prostitution. A licence should be issued to adults

wanting to get into this business. If sex workers are evicted haphazardly, they

would scatter to other parts of the city. "

Praise for Priya

In turn, the women, in the absence of a more vocal and public authority to give

their torment a voice, appreciate Priya's gesture, even though nothing concrete

can be promised to them yet.

Sanjay Shinde, head of Kamathipura Bahchao Samiti, an association fighting for

the rights of prostitutes, said, " Any form of help will make the women strong,

and add weight to their cause.

The sex workers expected some help from the Dutt family, and now that Priya has

taken up where her father left off, we are sure our movement will not go

unnoticed. "

Said Gilada, " Priya used to come here often with her father. Now whenever we

have a problem, she is willing to help us. She is part of the movement, " he

said.

Father's legacy

Priya's basic connect with the city's oldest prostitution den is an inheritance

from her father, the late actor-turned-politician Sunil Dutt. " My father used to

visit the place every Raksha Bandhan.

I myself have worked on a script on child prostitution. Nobody likes to sell

their body, but here they are forced to do it for a living, " Priya said.

Dutt's memory is vivid in Kamathipura for his unflagging compassion for the

women. " Had he been alive, we would have been given justice, " said a sex worker.

" He was like a messiah for these sex workers. He'd come to Kamathipura to

educate the girls on the need to keep themselves and their kids safe from HIV,

so their children can lead a healthy life, " said Gilada.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/prostitution-should-be-legalised-priya-dutt/141400-3.\

html

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Re: /message/12457

Legalisation of Sex work/Licencing of Sex work in India would never

end Violance or bring solution  to the women in Sex work or

implementing few projects in the name of Rehabilitation.

Whereas, what a sex worker expects is that of an identity/respect,  that she is

too a Human being just as any other women in the Society.

This identity would never bring by legalising sex work or licencing ....

If anyone/Govt. is able then work with brokers/ Pimps/Organized Human

Traffickers and implement the Act which is already there  to control

and put an end to the new arrival ...

If not have a detaild study on this  before jumping into conclusion by

taking few stories at hand. Travel throughout the Nation, have a Meet

with Sex workers Collectives then decide based on their thoughts not

what  just your brain says.....

Jayamma

President

Chaithanya Mahila Mandali(CMM)

(A fourm for Sex Workers in Hyderabad/A.P)

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 FORUM,

Re: /message/12457

The Oldest Profession is not Prostitution but PIMPING...and

TRAFFICKING.

This is what happened to our poor. widowed, deserted girls and

young women. Would you like to legalize all these professions?

Do not legalize and put many more poor women and girls at risk. Give more

education, health facilities to all women including those living in the red

light areas. They know what they want to do. If they are adult, have some

education and all the rights that all of us enjoy, they do not have to be

stamped as SEXWORKERS.

Think of development and rights of all women.

Indrani Sinha

--

Ms. Indrani Sinha

Executive Director

SANLAAP

38B Mahanirban Road

Calcutta 700029

Ph: +91 33 27021287

Fax: +91 33 28400286

E-mail: indrani.sanlaap@...

Please visit us at: www.sanlaapindia.org

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends

Re: /message/12457

I am following this posting about Legalising prosttution for sometime now.

I agree that Law is not answer. Gound enforcement of law needs to improve with

respect to health.

As for sex work - brothel based ,workplace based -NGO to Corporate. I had the

opportunity to met few sex workers from each segment.

Most of them shared that we do not see out children in this profession for the

stigma and health risk associated with it. It is because they saw quick money

and emergencies in thier life needed attention they took to sex work. Pimps,

Trafficker were facilitator only. Who in turn were trapped by thier life

realities and opted to be pimp for money with associated less risk.

Corporate level sex work -male or female also shared that once their need is

addressed both party the client and the sexworker both not even recall and move

ahead in their life. If any woman may raise the issue she will be taught a

lesson for life and excluded socially, emotionally and intellectually.

If survives by god's grace then the new methods of torture will be invented to

further control. If new methods do not work then call her divine and start

touching her feet and post her to some Spiritual Philosophy.

The whole issue is of control and not so much the sex work.

I agree with Jayamma that a serious study be conducted with all types of sex

work as sample and then some policy guidelines be made.

Regards

Meenal

Meenal Mehta

e-mail: <Meenalmehta@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Re: /message/12457

Rape, theft, burglary, war, violence, corruption...all are age old

happenings...spanning centuries...what all are you going to legitimize.

By calling a exploitative industry 'work' can we make it less traumatic for the

victims...by using the term " sex worker " whose dignity is upheld.

Lets weigh every word we use...lets not become slaves of donors to parrot the

words they dump on us...With much agony and pain,

Sunitha Krishnan    

e-mail: <sunitha_2002@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

Re: /message/12457

It is hard to make people understand the very fact of why the oldest practice of

sex work exist till today in our society.

I hope this message reaches to all our friends who only think one side of the

issue. We have been rescuing ethnic women and girls who were trafficked in the

promises of job and better living in Indian metro cities and outside of India

and finaly get sold in the sex work. Out of 442 rescued so far 70% are under

age.

 

Legalizing sexwork means providing upper hand to the pimp/madam to lure

more minors for the sex work. Legalizing is not going to end exploitation of sex

workers. There are many countries who have legalized but exploitation of CSWs

still continued. 

 

We need to work for stopping second generation of sex work rather than

legalizing the sex work.

 

Thanks

Digambar Narzary

Chairperson-NEDAN FOUNDATION

Kokrajhar, BTC, Assam

North East-India 

e-mail: <nedan_ne@...>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Editor,

Re: /message/12457

The analogy is invidious. The response is emotional and the position rules out

debate.

While the civil society cannot touch the high class escort services, it seems

unusually eager to immediately shout down anyone who wants a discussion and or

debate.

Ananda Rao

E-mail: <anandarao313@...>

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone!

Re: /message/12457

I have been following this discussion since the beginning. Honestly, despite

trying hard I have failed to understand what are we going to gain by having the

sex trade legalized.

Current legal provisions do not accuse a major if she sells

sex in lieu of money at private place. I'd request the experts to correct me if

I am wrong, Indian law provisions for penalising the guilty under following

circumstances:

1. Operating a brothel (madam/manager/pimp) - ITPA, article 3

2. Living off the earnings of a sex worker - ITPA, art. 4

3. Forcing a minor into sex trade - ITPA, art. 5

4. Forcing someone into sex trade against her will - ITPA, art. 6

5. Indulging in sex work at (or in 200 m radius of) a public place - ITPA, art.

7

6. Soliciting at public place - ITPA, art. 8

7. Indecency at public place - Bombay Police Act, art. 110

I'd request my friends advocating for legalization of sex trade help me

understand what do we want to achieve through this quest.

Instead, I would say, we should be thinking on the lines of rehabilitating the

sex workers by instilling them back in mainstream society so they live with self

respect and dignity.

Regards,

Dr. Kshitij Sharma.

Program Manager

Mukta HIV prevention project

Pune

e-mail: <thekshitij001@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Kisjit Sharma,

Re: /message/12497

Good day and greetings from ISRD-CHILDLINE, Brahmapur, Odisha.

This is pertaining to the legalization of prostitution in India.

Recalling the memoirs of history I would like to say that since ancient times

polygamy & polyandry was there in India and in the world.

Rather it is a primodial instinct of human beings.

However, I agree with your view that " what are we going to gain by

having the sex trade legalized. " . It is better to think of the

meaningful rehabilitation of the cases who are withdrawn from sex

trade. Better Let us wait and watch. What is coming out.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

SUDHIR SABAT,

State Convener, Odisha CHILDLINE Network cum

Director, ISRD-CHILDLINE

INDIAN SOCIETY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (ISRD)

153,swarnamyee Nagar

Near Ganjam kala parisad

Berhampur-760001

Ganjam,orissa,India

0680-2222306/2226608

e-mail: <isrdorissa@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Editor, ,

 

Re: /message/12481

Here is my more elaborate but belated response to Ms Sunitha Krishnan's post.

To conflate sexwork (or prostitution) with rape, theft, burglary, war, violence

and corruption (as Ms Sunitha Krishnan would do), is not only ingenuous but also

logically fallacious. To extend Ms Krishnans analogy, if war were to be outlawed

and banned, populations will have no relief from aggressive neighbors or

oppressive rulers.

 

If violence were outlawed and banned, self defense (which involves violence)

from assault would be illegal.

 

The strategy of argumentation (which Ms Sunitha Krishnan brings into play) by

analogy is frequent and well entrenched in the " all prostitution is bad " school

of thought. It is only one edge of the argument. The other edge deflects the

debate to trafficking.

 

While this strategy might appeal to emotions, critical thinkers fail to see how

the debate is helped by using " prostitution " and " trafficking " interchangeably.

A little way into the debate we realize that from the point of view of

abolitionists, if we are not with them, we are against them.

 

This rhetoric has a rich and historic precedence. (It was used to spectacular

effect by the former president of America to wage war on a former ally, without

a shred of evidence for its complicity in the twin towers atrocity.)

 

This approach essentially shouts down anyone who wants a debate.

By insinuating that those who would like sexwork legalized would by inference

want to legalize rape or theft or burglary or corruption (let us leave out war

and violence) is invidious in the extreme.

I believe that the recent arrest of a small screen actress from a reputable

hotel in Karnataka is well worth our attention. This second rung actress who has

a certain number of box-office hits to her credit was arrested from a hotel in

Karnataka on charges of prostitution. To suggest that she was an exception or

that she was trafficked or that she was under the burden of crippling poverty

would require a stretch of imagination that might soon snap.

The whole debate is not about cage-prostitution, trafficking or the desirability

of prostitution. It is about whether an adult woman of sound mind and under no

duress can make a conscious decision to trade sexual favors for money.

 

But most of abolitionist debates are frequently vitiated by constant references

to kidnapping, trafficking, pimp-violence, child prostitution, and slavery-like

condition of women in the cage-brothels. No one in the " legalization " school of

thought is enamored by the women in such situations nor do they sanction it.

 

But insinuating that they are, Ms Krisnan not only dilutes the issue, but also

indulges in a subtle form of argumentum ad hominem.

Finally about being slaves to the donor agenda. I would like to point out that

this argument cuts both ways. Would I be justified in claiming (which I don't)

that the abolitionists (of whom Ms Krishnan seems to be one) are enslaved by

their donors and their agenda? It would only be fair if I did.

Regards

C Ananda Rao

e-mail:  <anandarao313@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear forum,

Re: /message/12481

In the universe the history of earth is very short though billions of years and

on earth the human history is far shorter. Again the civilization is only of a

few thousand years old.

In that few thousand years only the last about a century witnessed the major 

growth of it and that growth is not the moon landing, satelites, 2-4 G spectrums

etc. ButFREEDOMS.

And it is impossible to move backwards and all those " Talibans "  who try to pull

it back will only perish.

When slavery got abolished many slaves were wailing about their future without

masters, so is the case of those women in India talking against divorce.

If you believe in the growth of human freedoms you have to accept that sex is

one of it. You cannot dictate what food one should eat from which restaurant, as

long as it is consensual and so is sex too.

So all your discussions of legalisation, liscencing, regulation, decriminalising

etc have of primary shcool standard. 

Your licencing will only bring out another RTO office and intrusion on the

person of any woman at any place and time.

Cheers !

Tito (Adv)

Director, CSRD

Calicut, Kerala

e-mail: <titothomas123@...>