Andhra Pradesh

State leads in flesh trade: SP

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, MARCH 10. Nearly 25 to 85 per cent of sex workers in other States hail from Andhra Pradesh and the State leads the country in flesh trade, the Cuddapah Superintendent of Police, V.C. Sajjanar, said on Thursday.

In a startling revelation at a workshop on `eradication of prostitution' at Rayachoti, the SP said 80 per cent of sex workers in Goa were from Andhra Pradesh, 45 per cent in New Delhi, 28 per cent in Mumbai and 14 per cent in Kolkata.

The country had nearly eight million sex workers and at least 200 girls were being driven into it every day, Mr. Sajjanar said underscoring the need for stern punitive measures. Most sex workers died of AIDS and hence a Regional Network Against Trafficking in Women set up in Cuddapah was striving to enlighten and liberate them, he said.

Special vigil

Special vigil was being kept on brothel-keepers elsewhere and their agents in Rayalaseema, the SP's wife and Regional Network Coordinator, Anupama Sajjanar, said. Though legislation was being enforced, enlightening women against falling prey to the lures of vested interests was imperative, the Cuddapah RDO, Khaja Mohiuddin, said.

Besides promoting literacy among girls, balika melas were being held and balika committees formed, anganwadi workers trained and anti-trafficking committees formed to tackle the problem, the Project Director of the ICDS, Leelavathi, said.

Notions that poverty mainly drove women into flesh trade needed to be countered, the district Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, said this evening. Suggesting that prostitution be treated a social taboo, he said such an approach yielded results at Ralegoan Siddhi in Maharashtra.

The District Judge, T. Lakshmana Rao, called for rehabilitation of liberated sex workers. Besides enlightening rural people on enactments, the ills of flesh trade could be included in the syllabus, Mr. Rao suggested.

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