India is undergoing an unprecedented crisis due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
For the first-ever time in the history of India, the country has gone in total lockdown for 21 days and managing the same is a big challenge for both, the authorities and the citizens.
The government is working actively to fight the disease and also help those in need. Various grants and aids are given by the government and philanthropists to support the underprivileged section of the society.
People are benevolently distributing food kits, rations, home shelter, etc. to daily wage workers, homeless, migrants, and anyone who lies below the poverty line.
Despite so many efforts being made, it’s still very hard to cater to everyone’s need.
Talking of the same, it has been brought into notice that sex workers in Mumbai are finding it tough to make both ends meet due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Kamathipura Has Never Been Like This
Kamathipura is also known as one of the largest brothels of India. For most of the people among us, lockdown implies sitting back and enjoying the luxuries of life, but for the sex workers of Kamathipura, the lockdown brings the implicit lack of most necessities like food and water.
Due to the lockdown, the availability of customers has been reduced to none. Women from the brothels are worried not only about their food but also about how will they manage to pay rent for their rooms.
Talking about the business, some women went into it out of desperation while some have been trafficked into the same, but the repercussions are all the same.
Kranti, an organization, tells how some workers had to live in shelters because they don’t have any other place to stay. The schemes launched by the government for daily wage workers or other welfare schemes couldn’t reach them as they’re excluded from this category.
How Difficult Is It For Them?
A sex worker, Jaya, hailing from West Bengal was forced into the profession by a trafficker and has a six-year-old son to sustain. She sends Rs. 1500 to him for his essentials. Her dilemma is that due to recession in approaching patrons, she won’t be able to fulfil her needs and her son’s needs too.
In an interview to a news channel, another woman complained, “Why don’t you tell Modi (Prime Minister) to send us money as we also have aged parents and children to look after! Why doesn’t he give us packages as we are also human beings… Take my word if this situation continues, offences like theft, loot, and assault will increase’’, while recalling a murder incident that happened two days ago in the same locality.
Also Read: Which Industries In India Are Benefitting From The Coronavirus Pandemic?
Soni, a sex worker from Nepal has been a worker in Kamathipura for the last 25 years. She reminisces how Mumbai has gone through several disasters, attacks, epidemic but the situation was never this bad.
Steps Taken To Manage The Situation
A Congress MLA, Amin Patel, has come forward to help these people and is making arrangements to supply these women with essentials. He distributed ration consisting of flour, rice, potato, onion, pulses, grams and oil.
An independent campaign has been launched by Aanchal Narang, a trainer and therapist by profession. Her campaign aims at providing sex workers with necessities. The incident that caused her to launch this was when she had to do a mental health project with sex workers of Kamathipura.
Another woman there recalls how she had to survive on Parle-G biscuit and water for an entire week due to demonetization because she didn’t have enough money to buy her food and she’s again in a similar situation.
Considering the living conditions of these people, the government must help them out. Irrespective of the profession they are associated with the problems faced by them are real and serious.
Their struggle should be brought into the limelight and given utmost importance so that a plan is jotted down to help these women with their survival.
After all, all lives matter!
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: News18, Deccan Herald + more
Find the Blogger @ZehraYameena
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