Prostitution is one of the oldest of the professions. Even when there were no Bankers, Engineers, Lawyers, there were prostitutes. Though they were not called so at that time, and in a certain sense it wasn’t a derogatory profession. They were respected and even considered an incarnation of certain goddesses.

In current times, however, with our country growing fast and furious, we don’t have time to think of these issues. Also our current culture and tradition presents Sex Work as a very disgusting thing. And for me personally, I never really thought it existed. Though growing up has made me more aware of things around me, still prostitution appeared something that was non-existent. It was a sort of a myth at least in places I had lived. There were always some places with famous names, but still unknown to me.

Fortunately for me, I came to read a book recently Aids Sutra. It’s been sponsored by Bill & Melinda Gates foundation and has an anthology of stories related to AIDS. When we talk about AIDS, definitely Sex Work comes into the picture. And I was surprised, bordering to being shocked, by the magnitude of the whole problem in India.

First I guess I should give some facts and figures. The estimates on the number of women involved in “Sex work” ranges from 7.5 to 10 million. Who knows it might be 15 even? Secondly almost 25 to 35 % of these are minors. The number of red-light districts in India is more than a 1000. An average of more than 30 in every state. Compare the numbers to about 2.5 to 3 million people employed in the IT sector. Prostitution is 3 to 4 times even that. And about 15% of them are infected by HIV ( with some states having 35%+ infections ).

Why are people driven to this trade? It’s because of lack of opportunities, the extreme poverty and the unemployment of husbands. Another reason is the religious donation. It’s called Devadaasi. Girls are donated or pledged as a devadaasi at times, as an offering to the Goddess.

And the major problem is not the profession. The problem is the invisibility. The problem is that they are shunned by the society, thus they have to stay hidden. They end up being harassed and exploited from every one around them. The social stigma associated creates a humiliating aura around them. They are not accepted as the part of mainstream society.

Why is it that in a country where courtesans and dancers and sex workers were all respected alike in times not so very long ago, where there are goddesses representing the same, where the Kamasutra was written, where eroticism is still an important part of personal lives, we ignore and detest a set of people who are in sex work.

Why is it that manual labor, which too involves using your own body, considered perfectly normal, while using your own body for sex, the most hideous thing in the world? The human nature and that of society continues to amaze me each day.

What this does is that though Prostitution exists everywhere, and it being illegal, they can’t be monitored or helped in a better way. If at least the whole thing is legalized and proper rules framed around it, then the government can play an active part in reducing the harassment, the trafficking of minors and the exploitation by the police and pimps alike.

From my personal view point, which would be opposed by an overwhelming majority, let’s accept prostitution exists. Let’s legalize it. There are various countries where it is, and it has been significantly successful in reducing the HIV rates and increasing living standards of those involved. It would also have a negative impact on the rapes, I guess.

Another view that I have observed is, that if this fact is accepted as part of our society, it would also reduce the cases of boyfriends wanting only sex from young girls, and then dumping them, thus ruining a lot of lives and unwanted pregnancies.

Maybe the whole thought process is too radical. But when we can have Right to Information, Right to Education, Right to Water ( is being mulled over ) and so many rights. Then we can be liberal in our right to choose our profession as long as it is not harming the country or the people.