[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here is a section of people in the society who are looked down in disgust for indulging in ‘dirty profession’. We call them ‘prostitutes’. Prostitutes or commercial sex workers (CSW) whatever we name them are not seen as human beings with hopes, aspirations, likes, dislikes or desires to live a healthy normal life. On the other hand, stigma, victimization, labeling them as `immoral’ community have oflate, made prostitutes go ‘mobile’ and become vectors in spreading HIV. Even in case of being raped, threatened, coerced and sold into the sex trade, or precisely their rights are grossly violated, the law only criminalizes their every action. ‘Prostitution’ under Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1986 (ITPA) has been defined as the sexual exploitation or abuse of persons for a commercial purpose, and the term ‘prostitute’ is therefore construed accordingly. Ironically, in the case of a prostitute’s right being violated, the sexual exploiter or abuser is not the criminal, the victim is. Because it is the victim who has been stamped as ‘prostitute’ while the abuser has been given no name or definition.But why they are in this profession? Most of them are single women; some are married with children. These women earn their sustenance as ‘flying’ commercial sex-workers. Many of them are not in this profession of their free will but their economic situation has left them with no other option and prostitution thus became their profession, their job, their only means of livelihood on which many lives are also dependent on their income. They bear it all by complying with the unreasonable demands of all clients because of financial needs. Yet we fail to understand the extent of pain and suffering they have to bear in order to earn. On the other hand, there are also women who landed in this trade unknowingly. With the rate of increasing educated unemployed and lack of employment opportunities, young women are lured with promises of providing jobs and sold to brothels. Often news about NE girls being sold in brothels and tortured made headlines. Thanks to the prompt action of NGOs and the Police in saving these girls from the clutches of men with insatiable lust. Whatever the case be, the miserable plight of this section of women demands attention. After all it is not possible to stop prostitution, but it is quite possible to provide them with the requisite needs to enable them lead a humane life.
Should prostitution be legalised?
