It's not about sex, it's about rights!

by Imesha Madhubhani

Call girls, women of the streets, or prostitutes as we all know them as, are the employment of engaging in sexual activities in return of a payment. The term 'sex worker' was coined in 1978 by sex worker activist Carol Leigh to generalise the profession of prostitution and to reduce the social stigma entwined with it. Reports show that an approximate amount of 42 million sex workers are currently employed in the industry worldwide.

77 countries have legalised prostitution including Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Cuba and Brazil etc. 109 countries have currently made prostitution illegal, and 11 countries have restricted it. The legal status of prostitution varies from country to country, from being legal and considered a profession to being punishable by death. In a few jurisdictions prostitution is both legal and regulated as well. Prostitution, or engaging in sex work is in illegal in Sri Lanka, but is not considered as a crime.

Risks

It would not be a surprise to anyone if one says that prostitutes in Asian countries face many risks of abuse and exploitation. The case in Sri Lanka is nonetheless the same. Sex workers are being constantly discriminated and marginalized by our society, which leads them to be more vulnerable and victimized day by day. It is high time that we see the big picture and start paying attention to such marginalised group in the society, and find out the true reasons for their engagement in the sex work. Solving the problem at its roots is of paramount importance. But before we pay attention to that, many questions lie ahead on the road that need to be answered and solved.

Sri Lankan context

Despite how much we gloat over our high literacy level, the Sri Lankan society has not yet been updated and adapted to meet the globalized universal arena and its technological advancements. The level of understanding with regard to human rights and fundamental rights, the common law of the country within majority of the society is unfortunately very minimal. Inter alia, the knowledge and attitude of many with regard to sexuality is also primitive and backward.

We live in a society where it is very apparent that men themselves overestimate themselves merely because they are born as males, and women inherently underestimate themselves as they are born female. But such attitudes and ideologies are no longer accepted and are now relegated due to the emergence of concepts such as equality, feminism and human rights. But we still grow up learning that a male has to be the head of the household, and that a girl's decency lies in her purity as a virgin, while it's not the same for boys.

Public discourse about sexuality is considered to be taboo, almost a sin. Many parents avoid discussing this topic with their children. It is not taught at school either.

Teachers are reluctant to talk openly about reproduction and sexual health in the class, specially the female teachers. If so, from whom would the children gain the knowledge? The first argument brought up by many adults is that it is not suitable for our religious and cultural background and the moralities of the society. Sri Lanka should strive as a country to eradicate such misconceptions and develop the citizens' ideas, knowledge and attitudes towards being a much more understanding society.

As Prof. Nandasena Rathnapala declares in his book 'The prostitutes of Sri Lanka', 99% of women who engage in sex work in our society are carrying on their job as prostitutes merely because they are left with no other choice.

The lack of their educational qualifications has made them vulnerable and they are unable to find another decent job. Most sex workers were abused since childhood and were made to become a sex worker by force. The truth is that none of these women enjoy being a call girl, and none of them have given their consent to become one. They were forced to enter this employment, and they are being constantly exploited by pimps, brothel holders and even by their customers.

The legal framework

As mentioned earlier, prostitution is not a crime in Sri Lanka. The Vagrancy Ordinance and the Brothels Ordinance provide the legal framework against prostitution, but the aim of the legislation is not achieved in practicality. One can find sex workers in almost any city. The irony lies within the fact that the city of Anuradhapura which is considered as the "puja nagaraya" recently showed the highest number of sex workers in Sri Lanka within one city.

The true tragedy lies where many of these workers were minors, girls who need to go to school and complete their education, instead of letting their future and dreams be washed away and their hopes lost.

Sex workers who are caught in police raids are also abused and the women become victims of custodial rape. It is sad to see that at the end of the day, it is these vulnerable human beings that have to face public humiliation and multiple discrimination, not the men who visit them at night, or the officers of law who take undue advantages from them.

The road ahead

Even if women who engage in this profession want their children to have a better and a respectful future, the society is reluctant to give them a chance. These women face many difficulties even in obtaining a birth certificate for their child, and the admittance of the child to a school is an absolute impossibility. It is this negative-minded thinking and the social stigma that does not allow these women to live a dignified life, let alone their children.

This shows of the paramount importance of treating them as humans. People should be made aware of the fact that despite what their way of earning money is, they are nonetheless entitled to their inherent human rights and they too deserve a dignified life. The law states that even a prostitute could be raped, but who will be willing to speak up for a raped prostitute? We must understand that it is not for pleasure that they sleep with men every day. It is not about sex, it is about their rights!