Prostitution: A Closer Look

Inter-generational prostitution is very common in de-notified tribes like the Nutts and the Bedia communities of Bihar and Rajasthan respectively. The state of affairs in these communities is pitiable. The fathers and brothers are professionally pimps for the daughters and wives of the family and their livelihood comes by trying to get clients for them. The worst part is that they see nothing wrong with this way of living because this is their idea of normalcy since this is how the families have been thriving for many generations now. Unemployment was probably why these communities started off the way they are but even this can be resolved with moderated government intervention, awareness campaigns, alternate employment schemes being implemented, and the like.


However, outside these communities, prostitution is usually taken as sexual exploitation because of gender, caste, class inequalities that are prevalent in society. It is normally an attempt to escape poverty but only ends up scarring the woman for life, emotionally and physically. However, it is of some consolation to know that most of these women do want a better future for their children and encourage help from NGOs who could educate their children. There are even night creches for the children of prostitutes to stay in the nights while their mothers are out earning their daily bread. This acts as a protected environment so that they cannot be picked up and forced to sell their bodies for money, while also helping them interact with other children who suffer from similar living conditions.


There is a Bill which is pending in the Lok Sabha to penalize the buyers of prostituted sex and to punish traffickers. NGOs like Apne Aap, which I am currently working with, are trying to get this Bill passed as soon as possible. There is also a proposed clause in the Bill which seeks relief, resettlement and rehabilitation measures for prostituted women and this is also being pushed for. But despite this, a very important disturbing reality remains: The supply will stop only when the demand will. When will the desires to sleep with a little girl who is unaware of the innocent life she could have led had she been born to another mother, leave the mind of the pervert? When will the idea of buying sex stop fascinating the clientèle? When will the day come in the lives of these women when they can be assured that their girl child is safe from this trade and can opt for education instead? Why is it that the lives of the children can be lit by education but instead, gets overshadowed by the sex trade that their mothers are forced to 'work' in?