The two-seat bench of the suprime court has recently asked the central government as to why the central government is not thinking to legalige prostitution if illigal prostitution is not controlled. The Bench has opined that by legalising this trade the unfortunate womanfolk will be protected from exploitation made by the pimps, brothel-keepers etc. and the prostitutes will be easily given medical and rehabilitation facilities by the government.
It is hard ton understand how the illigal practices will be stopped by ligalising this trade. We have legalised many proffessions and buisnessess and trades under various statutes; all the same, we have illigal schools and colleges, illegal constructions, moneylendig, medical practitioners and other, inspite of various laws. So it is not dificult to infer that though the prostitution is legalised, the illgale prostitution too will persist.
If this abominable trade is legalised, the brothel- keepers will have to seek permissions from the authorities, the brothels will have to be run as per the norms laid down and all the expenses on account of this will have to be borne by the prostitutes themselves. Beside this, there will be many cuts to the income of the prostitutes on account of pims, police etc. This results in less income to the prostitutes.
If this trade is legalised, it will be compulsory to evry prostitute to have medical check up periodically and the prostitutes will have to spend havilly on medical certificates, true or false.
The recruitment above 80% to this trade is from the lowest wrung of the society. Women from poor and backward class families will be easy victims and under coersion their consent will be obtained to throw them into such brothels.
Though this trade is legalised there wont be any dignified status to it and no woman will practise such nafarious trade openly and with dignity.
The customers in this trade will be trators to their wives and stigma on the face of family institution and it will be gross violation of the provision of adultry in Indian Penal Code without ammendment to the statute.
All the judicious and right-thinking persons from all walks of life are bound to oppose to any move to legalise this ghastly trade.
- Uttam Jagirdar. Mumbai.