Have you ever wondered what would the life of a prostitute be like? Have you given thought about these young girls being taken or being brought up in the brothels?
The Red Streets are not at all fascinating as it is being shown by Katrina Kaif in Chikini Chameli or Kareena Kapoor in Fevicol. What exactly is the Bollywood industry trying to portray? That the prostitutes are happy doing these item dances? or that “Oh! they are already into this come on lets encourage more people to join them in their sex work?”
"Haw!!" Did you just say prostitutes? Hush! Don’t say that loud. Why?
These women are beaten, raped and caged in dark rooms forever. She grew up like every other girl child or maybe I should say, if she ever had an opportunity to grow up like a normal child, then she would've had dreams. Dreams to accomplish, to conquer, to fly, to live happily. But little did she know that she has to lead a miserable life where she would be raped every night by different men, where she did not have a choice but agree to the pimps.
Why should we not talk about them? They did not choose to be one among the sex workers, and if they did it is due to helpless and empty stomachs. They are being sold off, being used, being thrown away. What are they? tissues?
Once she is stuck in the brothel it is close to impossible to get her, her family, or even her little kids out of this ruthless activity. Somewhere in there is a girl whose stolen innocence is a sordid selling point in the rat-infested Red Lights.
Even in India’s age old classics, references to prostitution are often found. We are not all that comfortable bringing up this topic. But let us face the reality!
What impression do we leave behind to the coming generations with these colorful item numbers? What impressions do we leave behind to the innocent children of these prostitutes? Are we building hopes for these pimps and making them confident in their work?
WHAT IMPRESSION ARE YOU MAKING OF YOURSELF IN THIS SOCIETY?
"I’m a two women: one wants to have all the joy, passion and adventure that life can give me. The other wants to be a slave to routine, to family life, to the things that can be planned and achieved. I’m a housewife and a prostitute, both of us living in the same body and doing battle with each other."
#PauloCoelho (Eleven Minutes)
A very good blog! As mentioned in the blog, the interests of these women are neglected by the Indian society. They had to enter into such an activity for filling the stomachs of themselves and their families. But 'Is it right to encourage such an activity?', 'If not this, then how will they survive?', 'Are there enough opportunities for them outside that kind of world?' are few questions to be raised.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sowmya Sreekumar, I would say it is not right in encouraging this activity but in reality what we are doing is in favor of the sex workers. Government to should help these women to come out of these areas and give them a respectable job which would help them live a dignified life rather than being looked down as a prostitute.
DeleteThank you for your reply!
DeleteThank you for your reply!
DeleteBefore commenting, let me tell you this topic is worth thinking of at multiple angles. I am just writing how I perceive the problem and the way I can think of the solution to the problem in just about one angle. These women who choose to be prostitutes to make a living must face all consequences that come with it. These women are paid for services that are looked down by the society, so its quite obvious that the reputation of these women does influence their offspring. These prostitutes have to be blamed for their children's misfortunes and the environment in which their children are exposed to. Being a prostitute makes a real deep mark of shame for generations of the prostitute and it's most likely for the prostitute's offspring to inherit their traits and profession. I believe choices of a person influences them as well as the people around them. So every choice made must have a grand vision. The women can choose a better career than prostitution or they could instead not think of having kids if they are prostitutes or if they happened to have kids, they could raise them in a different environments such as boarding schools or colleges.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all let me thank you for lending your time to read my article Don Sam. I would like to make my point clear that no woman chooses to lead a life as a sex worker, either she's kidnapped, cheated or born into a brothel. And once she is stuck in any of these it is close to impossible for her to come out of this, this again is not her choice. Now speaking of the women who chose to lead this "disgraceful" life, any woman would take prostitution as a profession when she has no other option in life, not because she didn't try for any. You should consider the fact that they are not financially settled to afford daily meals or any of the basic needs and how do you expect them to send their children to boarding schools or colleges? Even if when they are taken to schools for admissions the schools reject their application as they are born to these women. They aren't aware about the world outside. Their children are so influenced by this lifestyle that it is so difficult to make them understand the value of education.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend you to watch the documentary film BORN INTO BROTHELS.