Vijayawada: Forum against human trafficking hails apex court judgement

Vijayawada (NTR district): The Supreme Court allowed the sex workers to live with dignity as equal citizens of the country, said the members of Vimukthi, the state-level forum of sex workers and survivors of human trafficking while hailing the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Vice-president P Rajani, joint secretary B Pushpa, treasurer A Apoorva and member M Mounika addressing the media here in the wake of the apex court order, recalled the bitter experiences faced by victims when they were booked by police if they were found with condoms and treating it as a crime.

The police used to detain the sex workers in police stations nearly 4 to 5 days without filing an FIR after rides. The police used to grab their mobile phones, money and others and seldom return the phones. There were many victims who paid up to Rs 50,000 to the lawyers suggested by police in the name of bail, they said.

There are still nearly 20 rescued victims (sex workers) staying in shelter homes like Swadhaar and Ujjawala in AP and TS. Now, they got relief from such malicious practices, thanks to the Supreme Court. The Vimukthi leaders said that they were against calling sex work a profession because still it is involved with lots of abuse and exploitation in sex work. They said that the government has utterly failed in creating alternative livelihoods to the rescued victims. Once a girl is rescued, she should be provided compensation, rehabilitation and alternative livelihood support services.

Vimukthi leaders demanded that the State government implement GO MS No 1 of 2003 issued as per the Supreme Court directions meant for alternative livelihoods, rehabilitation and victim compensation. They demanded formation of AHTUs (Anti-human trafficking units) in every district and its vigilance should be improved to stop the new entries.