Will sensitise officers, provide rehab for sex workers: Lakra

Though the city police claim that they do not beat up sex workers, women activists, NGOS, and sex workers say that most of the policemen assault sex workers and illtreat them.

Swati Lakra, additional director general of police, women safety including She Teams and Bharosa Centers, said the police would definitely be sensitised and sex workers had always been treated as victims and not criminals. However, women activists and NGOs in the city said the cops mostly hit sex workers and dragged them half-naked and also threatened them.

Swati Lakra also claimed that police were in touch with women and child welfare department and NGOs which maintained rescue homes and rehab centres where jobs were provided for the sex workers if they needed. They were placed in various jobs as per their preference ensuring that they were not stigmatised or re-victimised, she said.

Swati Lakra said, “We are definitely sensitising the police about this. Even when we book cases, we treat sex workers as victims and take them as witnesses. Regarding their safety, we already have our patrolling teams, and given the SC's decision, we are planning to sensitise our police personnel.”

However, women activists in the city said there were no proper rehabilitation centres or rehab programme development for sex workers. They added that they were immensely disappointed with the way the police behaved with sex workers. “When the rescue operations are conducted, the police treat these sex workers as terrorists and drag them out half-naked. They must be treated as victims, but are treated as criminals by the police. The police tell sex workers that even if they were shot dead, nobody would care,” said P.A. Devi, a women's activist in the city, working with an anti-human trafficking network.

She added that the private rescue homes were just a business and there were many incidents of suicide as they were not allowed to meet anybody. “This is like imprisoning women, such inhumane behaviour cannot be tolerated. These women also have the right to live a free life,” added Devi. Jaya Singh Thomas, who runs an NGO for the children of sex workers (girls), said the women were forced into prostitution and did it for money. They were treated as culprits and human traffickers were not arrested and set free. “Why are human traffickers set free and not the sex workers? Why nobody talks about the rapes happening in brothels? All officials are aware, but no action is taken. Why does the government forget how much economy these sex workers bring in? Sex workers are addicted to this work. Like how people are addicted to drugs, they are addicted to sex, why are there no proper rehab centres for these women? They are helpless as there is no help provided from the government,” said Jaya Singh Thomas. He added that now through social media, the network of this was vast and it was very easy to get in touch with them. “A pimp or trafficker is enough to pull thousands of women into this profession. There is human trafficking everywhere, why is that ignored? Women are sold by their own family members or lovers. Their children are also harassed and ill-treated. Why isn't there any proper system for their protection?” questioned Thomas.