Vijayawada: Sex workers want to live dignified life
ILFAT State convenor Bhanupriya and others addressing media in Vijayawada on Thursday
Vijayawada: Meharunnisa, State convener of Vimukti, the Federation of trafficking victims appealed to society not to discriminate the sex workers who are in dire need of help due to the various reasons including coronavirus pandemic.
She said that they are subjected to trafficking, and in pitiable condition without any alternative employment opportunities and facing harassment and violence.
India Leaders Forum Against Trafficking (ILFAT) State convener Bhanupriya and co-convener Rajani and Vimukti jointly addressed the press meet here on Thursday. Meharunnisa appealed to the Centre and the State government to provide alternative livelihood and give them a chance to live a dignified life.
She said that there nearly two lakh women who are caught in the web of prostitution throughout the State. However, only one lakh is registered with the AP State Aids Control Society (APSACS). She said that 60 per cent of them are trafficked between the age of 15 and 25 and now they were living as sex workers.
Expressing concern over the growing violence and atrocities against the sex workers post-Covid19 pandemic, she said that most of them returned to their villages from the redlight areas and leading pitiable lives.
Many of these women borrowed money from lenders at high interest rate and facing trouble to repay them.
She appealed to the government not to exempt them from welfare programmes but bring them back to the mainstream of society. They need to be provided with ration cards, bank accounts, Aadhaar cards and form self-help groups to avail economic benefits.
She said that the prostitutes are troubled by not only brothel owners, and pimps but also some corrupt police officers and moneylenders. She appealed to the government not to treat them as criminals but the victims of sexual exploitation. Their children should be provided with education facility.
APSACS should undertake further registration of the sex workers to provide them help. As per the direction of the Supreme Court, they should be provided with three months ration and financial help. The trafficking victims should be paid an exgratia of Rs 20,000 under GOMS No 28.
Conveners of Vimukti from various districts Pushpavati, Chinna Durga, Mounika and Janaki, HELP state coordinator Bhaskar, Mantru Nayak and others were present.