NGOs mark 10th anniversary of French abolition law, promote exit from prostitution

Echoing her, Priya Mondal, another young student living in Bowbazar redlight area, said, Prostitution cannot be called a profession and we dont want any of our near and dear ones associated with it. Mondal recalled how methods like play therapy were used to remove the stigma and stains from the minds of abused children by Muskan mentors.

With a resolve to end the use of women and girls in flesh trade and promote sustainable alternative livelihoods, two NGOs on Monday introduced five survivor children who are now studying in colleges and urged others not to join the profession. The programme, held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the French abolitionist law decriminalising prostitution, was organised at the French Consulate in Kolkata. Several former sex workers from the north Kolkata red-light area were also introduced, who are now earning through tailoring, stitching, embroidery and fast food preparation. They have been supported by the Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution International (CAP) and South Kolkata Hamari Muskan (SKHM). On behalf of SKHM, Rohini Banerjee told PTI that around 230 victims from the red-light areas have been supported by the organisation and are now studying in schools and colleges. ''A sizeable number of these children have their mothers as sex-workers and impacted by the physical-emotional torture while others may not be directly related to them but still bore the brunt of abuses,'' she said. Twenty-something Priyanka Saha, a college student who first came in contact with SKHM in 2009, recalled how she could not understand the reality of her mother's profession when she was young. ''Then gradually as I grew up, I understood the kind of 'job' she was doing and felt she should have come out of that and do something respectable, anything even doing the job of ayah,'' she said. ''Prostitution cannot be equated with other jobs and professions. If your peers can tell you their parents are teachers, doctors, lawyers or any other recognised profession, what should you tell? Our motto is Exit Prostitution, which cannot be legalised,'' she added. ''I want to pursue my dreams in life. I don't wish to leave my area, but want to improve the surroundings,'' the sociology student said. Echoing her, Priya Mondal, another young student living in Bowbazar redlight area, said, ''Prostitution cannot be called a profession and we don't want any of our near and dear ones associated with it.'' Mondal recalled how methods like 'play therapy' were used to remove the stigma and stains from the minds of abused children by Muskan mentors. Subham Ghosh, a hotel management student at Srirampur College, and Ravi Malik, studying B.Com (Hons), also shared how they endured abuses as children but continued their education and are now at an important threshold in their lives. Taramoni Das, a resident of a redlight area who now earns through stitching, tailoring and preparing refreshments, recalled being subjected to abuse by her alcoholic husband and ''other people'' until she sought help from the NGO and received training in arts. ''I could arrange the marriage of my son by procuring loan and repaying the EMIs in due time. I don't want to go back to the dark phase again,'' she said. Another woman Deepa Rajbanshi, who was trapped after leaving her abusive in-laws' household in Murshidabad, started leading a life of respect she had all along been aspiring after coming in contact with the NGO. ''I will help children of my area and if needed I will contact the government to ensure they are not sucked in the cycle of prostitution,'' she said. CAP official Hema Sibi said 37 organisations from 29 countries are part of the campaign 'Exit Prostitution' and the global NGO has brought changes in the lives of 22,000 victims all over the world. ''The state should have a policy about red-light areas,'' she said, adding, ''We are now putting our focus on four countries, including India and Nepal,'' she said. ''There should be criminalising of buyers of sex, people who purchase service of women. France adopted abolition of this profession which is an affront on dignity,'' she added. French Consul General Kolkata Thierry Morel said, ''Today I met 10 of them and it is an amazing experience. I also went to the NGO's office in the city and interacted with many more. It was indeed commendable to know their grit, determination and resilience.'' ''We at the consulate are happy to facilitate this kind of programme. We will keep doing it. It is a long process,'' he said. Asked about the French Abolitionist Law adopted in 2016, he said it decriminalises persons in prostitution, provides exit pathways, and holds perpetrators and buyers accountable. ''A decade later, France continues to champion this comprehensive approach internationally, supporting partners like CAP International and SKHM who implement abolitionist principles on the ground. Prostitution disproportionately affects women and girls from the most discriminated communities worldwide,'' he added.

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