Conclusion: No end in sight for sex market
The best-selling, first autobiography of a sex-worker in India, Nalini Jameela, called “Oru Laingigathozhilzhiyude Atmakatha” (Autobiography of a Sex Worker) throws a bold challenge to the society’s double standards—harsh on prostitutes and soft on the customers.
Nalini Jameela who is the co-ordinator of the Kerala Sex Workers’ Forum exposes the nexus between politicians, criminal gangs and police officers in the sex racket in Kerala. Nalini who stumbled into prostitution when she was a 25-year-old widow, unable to earn even five rupees a day, argues that “there is no difference between a scientist who uses his brains, a teacher who uses his verbal abilities, a laborer who uses his hands and a sex worker who uses her body.”
Demand –supply goes hi-tech
The advent of the world wide web through the Internet and the very handy cell-phones has added a new dimension globally to the sex industry and turned it into a multi-billion dollar industry. Its growth in the Indian and global market cannot be merely wished away, for it is the demand that creates the supply.
Currently the demand supply-chain is so obvious that doing a simple Internet search can yield results on sex tourism and advice. For the vast majority of the world's prostituted women and children, prostitution is a nightmarish experience of being hunted, dominated, harassed and assaulted that leaves them battered physically, mentally and emotionally, despite the numerous forums and manifestoes drawn up to improve their situation.
No end in sight
The prime reasons why many commercial sex workers in India are driven to this type of life style that capitalizes on the body factor are lack of family support and inability to provide for themselves due to poverty and illiteracy. As long as these factors are left unattended by the society, the supply chain will remain intact. For as long as people want to buy sex, prostitution will be considered ‘normal’ and will continue to thrive with all its attendant horrors and injustice that are an inevitable part of this lucrative business.As a customer said – ‘As long as there are men in the world -Sex will always sell.’
If prostitution is to be the accepted way of life for our world, then it is time that the social structure needs to be strengthened to provide this service without exploitation of the women; however there can be no norms of acceptance for the exploitation of a minor.
