VISIT TO BROTHELS

Submitted to

A REPORT ON

Submitted by-

Siddharth Sijoria BA. LLB

Amity Law School

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am heartily thankful to my seniors Ravi Kant, Subir Roy, Jaafar sir and whole team of Shakti Vahini whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final level enabled me to develop an understanding of the subject and write a report. I am also thankful to the Director of Amity Law School for permitting me to work for NGO. Lastly, I offer my regards to my Parents who supported me in any respect during the

completion of the project.

Siddharth Sijoria

Introduction to Prostitution
Prostitution represents the exploitation of women in the most degraded form. It has flourished in all societies at every stage of civilization, although it was never accepted as a part the social mores. Infact, it has been integral part of Indian civilization, and its origin can be traced back to the vedic period. Simply, Prostitution consists of taking money in exchange of sex. It is one of the few crimes that involves entirely a legal act- SEX- but the exchange of money made it illegal. The women professing this trade are known by several names, prostitutes, hooker, harlots and what not. Woman does not choose to profess this profession some are deceived by their lovers and brought by them to this hell. Some husbands send their wives to earn. No one chose to walk on these dark roads by choice but due to insurmountable circumstances. The main causes that lead to prostitution in India are ill treatment by parents, bad company, family prostitutes, social customs, inability to arrange marriage, lack of sex education, prior incest and rape, early marriage and desertion, economic causes like poverty and economic distress and many more. In India about 2.8million women are into prostitution and their number is ever increasing. Not only this,

women are traded from other countries like Bangladesh and Nepal and brought into India where they are thrown into the clutches of the pimps who engage them into this profession against their will by using violence. Every hour 4 women and girl enter into prostitution, out of which 3 enter against their will. Prostitution now exist in every city and town of the country.

Prostitution is the supreme triumph of capitalism. Worst of all, prostitution reinforces all the old dumb clich?s about women's sexuality; that they are not built to enjoy sex and are little more than walking masturbation aids, things to be DONE TO, things so sensually null and void that they have to be paid to indulge in fornication, that women can be had, bought, as often as not sold from one man to another. When the sex war is won prostitutes should be shot as collaborators for their terrible betrayal of all women, for the moral tarring and feathering they give indigenous women who have had the bad luck to live in what they make their humping ground. Julie Burchill

MY VISIT TO THE DARK ROAD!

This report consist of the details that I observed in my 14 days visit into the brothels of Garstin bastion Road,to make it more easy for you, G.B Road the citys red light area,10 minutes distance from New Delhi Railway Station,where women have no objection to sell their body for the sake of Roti (Meals).

Where women develop their best friendship, may be because they are brought or trafficked at a very tender age,where women live together like sister because they share the same tale. G.B. Road has 24 buildings. Dark corridors with steep stone stairs lead to kothas (96 in all) on the first and second floors. The bustle starts an hour earlier when the shops downstairs roll up their shutters. They say it is Asia's largest hardware market. It could be true. Stores are forever stocked with pumps and paints, tiles and toilet seats. But what's there for them? No parks, no playgrounds, not even a beauty saloon. It is the pethi walla who brings nakhun-polish and lipsticks around midnight. While they entertain customers throughout the day, evenings are busier. They dress up, apply powder, body lotion, and lipstick; and stand out in the balcony. By then the thoroughfare has started teeming with cars, scooters, rickshaws and pull-carts. Some senile FSW(Female Sex Worker) stand outside their respected brothels so as to impel people for sex ,to earn a bread for them. The following are the problems which these women face everyday.

1. MEDICAL PROBLEMS
Female sex workers constitute less than 1% of the infected female population in India. Yet, they are seen as a high-risk group and are the target of various HIV-related interventions. Such targeted interventions only end up further alienating communities instead of empowering them to combat HIV. As has been shown by other studies, female sex workers frequently are exposed to high levels of violence. Violence proved to be an important correlate of mental disorders.

 Excess consumption of Alcohol and smoke. The women working in brothels are found with high and low blood pressure rates which might cause heart attacks and other chronic diseases. The unhygienic condition of brothels is a threat to the female an other people living there. High abortion rate. Gonorrhea, Syphlis are commonly found amongst these women. White discharge. Gastritis problem is common amongst female sex worker. In a study to be presented today at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco, researchers interviewed almost 500 prostitutes from around the world and discovered that two-thirds suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. In contrast, the condition is found in less than 5 percent of the general population. Studies of veterans of combat in the Vietnam War have found that the disorder may be diagnosed in 20 percent to 30 percent, about half of whom have long-term psychiatric problems. Usually FSW dont come up with their problem not because they dont want to get examined but the thought of HIV AIDS haunts them,as if they are detected with the virus they might be thrown out of the brothels,their family doesnt accepts them.

2. INCOME PROBLEM
There are 24 buildings and 96 hotspots in this flesh market. Each brothel has an owner, under an owner works a manager who takes care of all the finances and accounts of the brothel. Nayikas are the women

who works as FSW and they also work on commission basis . Under these Nayikas there are several lochis. These Lochis are brought in the flesh market by the Nayikas and pimps. These lochis surrender all their income to the Nayikas and are survived by them only. Most of the women are from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Young FSWs life is confined to a small room only, they are not allowed to move out of the brothels, and physically and mentally abused by the pimps and the Owner. According to Lata, a FSW, their income depends on the number of customer they attend. If they do not attend one in a day,they have to sleep with empty stomach. Sometimes customer give them tips,which they keep with themselves. When these lochis bring other women to the brothels, they become there Nayikas and even they treat their Lochis in the same way as they were treated and this way the cycle continues and FSW always become the prey in the hands of pimps , brothel owner and Nayikas. All of the money is shared between the owner, manager and Nayikas.

HIERARCHY OF BROTHELS

OWNER OF THE BROTHEL

MANAGER

NAYIKAS

LOCHIS

In 2009, an article was published in the Guardian, in which it was written that some brothels "impose some extraordinary restrictions on commercial sex workers" in order to "separate sex workers from the local community": some places forbid prostitutes to leave the brothels for extended periods of time, while other jurisdictions require the prostitutes to leave the county when they are not working; some places do not allow the children of the women who work in the brothels to live in the same area; some brothel workers who have cars must register the vehicle with the local police, and workers are not permitted to leave the brothel after 5pm; in some counties registered sex workers are not allowed to have cars at all

3. GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION COMMITTED IN THESE AREAS

WE COULD LEARN A LOT FROM CRAYONS; SOME ARE SHARP,SOME ARE PRETTY,SOME ARE DULL AND ALL ARE DIFFERENT COLORS,BUT THEY LIVE IN THE SAME BOX
A womans body is a woman right, its her choice to sell her body. If choice and consent are not present, sex ceases to be an exchange and becomes an act of Violence, and violence against an individual is a form of human right violation which these women undergo. Some who say that they work with their consent are those who are being duped by the nayikas or the pimps. Women are forced to have sex with every approaching customer, no matter if the number is 2 or 20. Some women send their children to their familes,and never meet them because they dont want their children to be called a child of a prostitute. These women face atrocities commited against them by pimps or customer. They are physically,mentally and sexually abused. Some burn them with cigarette or beat them brutally.

 They live in very unhygienic environment and their life is restricted to a small room and is deprived of various rights. The future of the children living in brothels is bleak as they are deprived of their education right and sometimes the children are also abused sexually. Talking to a young girl, Rita, aged 8, told us that sometimes people ask her ,that when is joining the line? Some children are forced to record pornographic movies of their mother while they entertain the customer.

Trafficking in these areas is the main issue, women are enticed and sold in this market. The girls are forced to hide their age. They are prone to HIV/AIDS and are amongst the HRGs. They are not provided with proper medical facilities. Police connivance with the pimps and brothel owner add to the jeopardy of trafficking. Several other crimes,are committed in the wake of prostitution like illegal selling of alcohol, narcotic drugs and extortion,

harassment and even murder. Example, Women living in these areas are unregistered, live without an identity and are just brothel woman(no social life) , so if someone murders a woman, the accused gets away freely or escapes legal consequences, as women in brothels live under fear, and dont have the audacity to come forward and complaint. The improper execution of laws, Police connivance in wrong doing, bribery are believed to cause ill human treatment, trafficking , violence, drug abuse in these areas. In spite of stringent laws against prostitution, one can find these pimps standing on the roadsides impelling the passer by for sex, doing their job fearlessly.

PROSTITUTION: AN OCCIDENTAL VIEW

According to some western phillospher A brothel owner is just like slave owner. Prostitution being one of the oldest profession of world is criticized all over the world. However countries have their own perspective on prostitution as far as legality of prostitution is concerned. Even in country like US prostitution is legalized only in Nevada counties, Prostitution outside licensed brothels is a misdemeanor in Nevada. The brothels in Nevada's rural counties have received strong criticism, from various individuals (such as journalists, sex worker activists, feminists, social and religious conservatives and politicians). Women working in legal brothels in the U.S., Europe and Asia are forced to turn over forty to fifty percent of their profits and may be required to

remain in the brothel for up to ninety percent of their time, in a given seven-day work week. The costs of legalized prostitution such as rent to the brothel owner, medical examinations, and any registration fees are paid by the women involved in prostitution, thereby increasing the number of sexual encounters they must have in order to make a profit. Due in part to these costs, illegal prostitution has flourished in legalized areas as clients seek cheaper sex, and women determined to increase their income, or avoid psychological/drug tests, circumvent the legal system. In Germany, for example, there are three times as many non-registered women involved in prostitution as registered women. In Greece the ratio is more than 10 to 1.20. Columnist Bob Herbert criticized Nevada's brothels, in an article

published in The New York Times. He wrote "A grotesque exercise in the dehumanization of women is carried out routinely at The Sheri's Ranch, a legal brothel about an hours ride outside of Vegas. There the women have to respond like Pavlovs dog to an electronic bell that might ring at any hour of the day or night. At the sound of the bell, the prostitutes have five minutes to get to an assembly area where they line up, virtually naked, and submit to a humiliating inspection by any prospective customer who has happened to drop by".

Teri, a prostitute who has worked in a Nevada brothel (and who would like prostitution to be decriminalized), stated that "The brothel owners are worse than any pimp. They abuse and imprison women and are fully protected by the state

The legality of prostitution in Europe varies by country. Some countries outlaw the act of engaging in sexual activity in exchange

for money, while others allow prostitution itself, but prohibit most forms of procuring (such as operating brothels, facilitating the prostitution of another, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, soliciting/loitering, etc.).
In eight European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Austria,

Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary and Latvia) prostitution is legal and regulated. Depending on the country, various prostitution related activities may be prohibited (where a specific law forbids such activity), decriminalized (where there is no specific law either forbidding or allowing and regulating the activity), or regulated (where a specific law explicitly allows and regulates the activity if certain conditions are met). Activities which are subject to the prostitution laws include: selling and buying sexual services, soliciting in public places, running brothels, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, offering premises to be used for prostitution etc. Often the prostitution laws are not clear cut and are subject to interpretation, leading to many legal grey areas. While the policy regarding adult prostituting differs by country, child prostitution is illegal throughout Europe. Similarly, human trafficking, forced prostitution and other abusive activities are also prohibited. Even in Europe, gross Human Right Violation is committed, women are smuggled in gangs from East Europe to different part of the world. Prostitution in Rhode Island was outlawed in 2009. On November 3, 2009, Governor Donald Carcieri signed into law a bill which makes the buying and selling of sexual services a crime.

Condition of Female Sex Workers is same throughout the world, the difference is only that in west they are provided with proper income, and the level of police connivance is comparatively less. Data from latest reports show that India holds 4th position in ill treatment to women followed by Pakistan and Afghanistan. Thus one should not take this problem lightly since it also triggers other bad activities including drug addiction, violation etc.

The debate over legalization of prostitution in Indian society is on fire. Lets see what this legalization can bring in. Whether the legalization will be in the best interest of the country and these worker or it will weaken our system more. Prostitution has always been a taboo, not only in Indian society but also in the other countries.

What good does legalization of prostitution brings?

Registration of the FSW will be done, and an identity will be provide. A regular inspection will be done. It might lower the graph of women trafficking. Customers will not be vulnerable to arrests, because they will then become patrons of a legal business, FSW will not have to run and hide when the authorities come. Tax money will be paid. Standards can be imposed, like regular health checks. Even if this will not guarantee a disease-free sex trade. A customer can be infected by a FSW who got infected just an hour ago, before her regular medical check up. But the probability of getting infected will be reduced. It could possibly reduce rape, because men who are loathe to have sex illegally can now have a legal release of libido. Old FSW will have an alternative career, legal at that. They can start a whore house.

 Retired FSW can avail of pension, health care, and other benefits of regular, paid employees. Culturally sanctioned practices like the system of devadasis, jogins, bhavins, etc. which provides a pretext for prostitution should be addressed suitably.

According to me
Legalization cannot lower the graph of rape, as mostly rapes are committed in rage, revenge, by mentally disturbed and sudden arousing of sexual orientation at the moment and the legal consequences after committing rape is much more higher than getting caught in a brothel. In a country like ours where people in respectable jobs sometimes are not provided with their fund, pension money etc., so we cannot be sure about communication of scheme to them. Here in India police connivance in wrong doing is already at its peak, after the legalization there could be a tremendous growth in trafficking of women. It wont be easy to keep an eye on everyone, there can be possibility of women working without registration. After the legalization the brothel rules will be enforced strictly on FSW and they will become preys again in the hands of pimps and brothel owners. Physical, mental and sexual abuse to FSW might become more apparent due to legalization and police connivance. Moreover this legalization will be for those women who are not aware of their rights, who are illiterate and have a total cutoff from the society. The provisions of Legalization might fail to reach these women.

 Legalization of Prostitution can lead to increase in the number of brothels. It might lead to opening of brothels in every part of the city. Legalization of prostitution can also kindle fire amongst MSM (Homosexual) for the legalization of male prostitution too. There are more chances of women working without Registration. Like in Germany many women work without registration. Take for example, Earlier when a small amount was imposed on breach of traffic rule, anyone could escape law by bribing 50 or 100 rupees, but now when the rules became more stringent, the breach of rules are committed at the same pace the only difference is that, now one who breach the rule have to pay more or in simple word have to bribe more to the policeman to escape the legal consequences. Police connivance is the main cause for our Kafkasque administration.

Views of FSW on Rehabilitation.

The word Rehabilitation sounds something beneficial and benign to them. When they were briefed with the word, they dint find the process fruitful as jobs like sewing, tailoring etc. will not make them earn a handsome income. It became quite apparent from their gesture, that income is their first priority. If rehabilitation will provide them with a handsome income so that they are able survive their family and afford their children education fee, they wont be having any problem with Rehabilitation. Dolly (name changed) a FSW working in brothel no. 55 told us that she is only in this profession for her son, studying in Pune. She told us that she will be happy if she is rehabilitated and provided with a good income so that she can afford her sons education and other expenses. Poverty, illiteracy are the root causes for the exploitation of these women.

Words in Appreciation Of Shakti Vahini

Shakti Vahini is doing a tremendous job in the field of trafficking. It is providing the FSW with proper medical facilities, education. They also hold DIC (drop in centre) meeting on every Tuesdays where they pick any moot point and collect the views of the Prostitutes. It also take care for their recreational activities and provide them with Games, televisions etc. It also provide free HIV/AIDS test for the poor and prostitutes. It also organizes camps to dispense awareness about HIV/AIDS in these areas. They distribute around 3 lacks condom every month in the brothels and still 3 or 4 patients are detected with HIV ,this clearly indicates that condoms are not being used by every customer approaching them. Shakti Vahini also, teaches the FSW, how to impel their custom to wear condom, by accustoming them with the cons of not using condom while having sex with them. The NGO, is visited by a Lady Doctor everyday, whose visit to brothel is really beneficial for the FSW in sense, if a woman is not able to consult a doctor can get themselves examined there only. It provide them with medicines also. It has also indulged some FSW in awareness camps that help them in every possible way.

The Prostitution cannot be eliminated form a society, but its legalization could increase the vulnerability of the crimes, since the western countries face the same crisis. At Present criminalization of Prostitution in India keep these Brothel owner and pimps under control. But legalization might end up making the life of the prostitutes more miserable.