The number of sex workers in the country may touch a whopping five million in ju

st a few years, if the world's oldest profession is legalised as suggested by th

e Supreme Court, warn activists.

Hearing a PIL by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan about large-scale child trafficking,
the apex court had last week said that if the trade can't be curbed through pun
itive measures, legalising it would be a better option to avoid trafficking of w
omen and children.

However, this suggestion has divided activists who work for the welfare of sex w
orkers in the country. Though some welcomed it, many feared that such a move cou
ld aggravate the situation.

"By legalising prostitution, you are going to give immunity to the pimps and bro
thels to buy or sell human beings. It will in turn increase trafficking of young
women and children," said Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a
n anti-trafficking organisation.

"If this trade is legalised, the number of prostitutes in the country might doub
le in just a few years," she said.

According to the Women and Child Welfare Ministry, there are over three million
women working as sex workers in India as of 2003. Of them 1.3 million are childr
en below the age of 14.

But activists, who believe the real number is much more than the official figure
, fear once the profession is legalised, the number of sex workers would surpass
the population of some European countries like Finland, which has a population
of about 5 million.

"Once it is legalised, buyers will seek more young girls.

It would in turn increase trafficking and brothels will flourish in the country,
" says Gupta.

Echoing similar views, Praveen Patkar, the founder of Mumbai-based NGO Prerana,
which works for rehabilitation of children of sex workers, said decriminalisatio
n of the profession will open the floodgates for human trafficking.
"Despite having a well-formulated law against trafficking, we have been unable t
o check the menace. By what stretch of imagination can we believe that trafficki
ng can be curbed when the trade itself is decriminalised?" he said.

In India, prostitution is not illegal. Only commercialisation of the profession

is criminal, as per the Immoral Traffic (Suppression) Act, 1956.

According to the Act, a woman can use her body for a commercial purpose in priva
te, but she cannot solicit business or seduce clients in public. The law, which
doesn't recognise male sex workers, also bars organised prostitution running bro
thels, pimping and prostitution rings. The clients can be punished for sexual ac
tivity at or close to a public place.

According to Gupta, the countries which have legalised prostitution, have witnes
sed a sharp rise in trafficking and also in the number of sex workers.

She said, "Besides, an increase in the number of sex workers, the rates of assau
lt and rape against prostituted persons has also increased in Australia and the
Netherlands - where prostitution is legalised."

The situation becomes worse, if someone is tested positive for HIV, then she is
immediately labeled a prostitute - a perception that creates a complex situation
in the rehabilitation programmes. Even if trafficked returnees can avoid such t
reatment, they have few options for survival. The task is not just daunting; giv
en the political priorities of most governments, it has not been given the impor
tance it deserves.
http://visionmp.com/legalisation-of-prostitution-could-lead-to-rise-in-women-and
-child-trafficking254114714873/
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/activists-warn-against-legalisation-of-prostit
ution/554822/2
http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/09/why-not-legalise-prostitution-sc-to-ce
ntre.htm
http://www.merinews.com/debate?debateId=86