Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have alleged that commercial sex workers suffer verbal and physical abuse during the arbitrary raids and nakabandis which are conducted by the city police in Budhwar peth’s red-light area.

These findings were reported by Saheli Sangh, a sex workers’ rights organisation working in Budhwar peth since the past 20 years along with Mahila Sarvangeen Utkarsh Mandal (MASUM), people’s union for civil liberties. It is supported by the National Network of Sex Workers (India), which is working in 11 states of India since 1997.

The police raids and nakabandis have been conducted since January this year.

The fact-finding team conducted visits from May 20 to 22 and held individual and group meetings with sex workers in different parts of Budhwar peth, as well as with police officials and other stakeholders in the area.

Giving the details of the fact-finding report and background of this survey, Dr Manisha Gogte, founder and co-convenor of MASUM, said, “In December 2018, the police started collecting documents of identity and address proofs and photographs from sex workers. It was not voluntary and sex workers were threatened that if they failed to provide the said documents, they would either be arrested or would have to leave the red-light area.”

“Police raids have been taking place in Budhwar peth from time to time. But since the first week of January this year, the police started conducting nakabandi in the area from 10pm to 5am. The entry and exit to the area is prohibited to all persons during the nakabandi,” said Dr Gogate.

“Some sex workers have also reported of verbal and physical abuse which had escalated during this crackdown,” she added.

Meanwhile, Suhas Bawche, deputy commissioner of police (zone 1), under whose jurisdiction the Budhwar peth area comes, said, “The claims made against us about the raids are not true. We have not taken any illegal action against sex workers.”

“According to the action taken by our teams in Budhwar peth and data collected, I can say that 50 per cent of the crime rate has gone down in the area. Criminal activities like eve-teasing, pickpocketing, robbery and street fights have come down since the night patrolling was carried out in Budhwar peth,” Bawche added.

Tejaswi Sevekari, executive director of Saheli Sangh, said, “On January 16, 2019, a major combing operation was conducted by the police in the area in which customers, passers-by, visitors or residents in the area were held captive on street. They were verbally and physically assaulted by the police officers and then photographed and filmed, and the video was made viral on the Internet.”

“This has created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in the area and this has adversely affected the livelihood of the sex workers. The police also conducted several raids at the brothels in the name of rescuing minors or Bangladeshi sex workers, at which time adult Indian women sex workers were arbitrarily picked up and subsequently admitted to rescue homes in Pune,” Sevekari added.

“Since family members and blood relatives were required to come to Pune to secure their release, many sex workers who had not informed their families about their livelihood had to make involuntary disclosure. Several sex workers who have been unable or unwilling to contact family members continue to be lodged in the rescue homes in spite of them neither being minors nor Bangladeshis,” she added.

Meanwhile, Ashok Paygude, a resident of Budhwar peth, said, “Due to the nakabandi in the area, we are not able to step out during the night. The residents who come home late from work are regularly checked and questioned by the police. This happens despite telling them that we are residents of the area.”

Police misusing power, allege NGOs

Police raids and nakabandis in the area are affecting the business of not only commercial sex workers, but also causing inconvenience to residents and shop owners in Budhwar peth

Findings of the report

Rescued in spite of protest and providing identity proofs

-While, the police mention that the raids were conducted to identify underage girls and Bangladeshi women, it was found that commercial sex workers arrested during the combing operation were adult Indian women. Many in the age group of 25 to 35 said they were forcibly ‘rescued’ in spite of their protests and after providing identity proofs to the police officials.

Misuse of law

From the testimonies of the sex workers, it is inferred that the provisions of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956, have been misused to conduct arbitrary raids in Budhwar peth and forcibly admit adult commercial sex workers to rescue homes.

Day-time inconvenience

-The police issued media statements that they had conducted nakabandi during the night time to check other criminal activities in the area, like thefts. While it is true that the blockading happened during the night, narratives revealed that most of the raids and combing operations happened during the day time.

-When the fact finding teams visited the commercial sex workers they said that one specific decoy customer associated with the rescue home would engage in sexual activities in the brothel before tipping off the police officials to conduct raids.

Verbal and physical abuse during raids

-Several sex workers reported instances of verbal and physical abuse by police officers at the time of raids.

-They also alleged humiliation and prejudiced treatment from the staff of rescue homes.

-Commercial sex workers were reported to be fined for alleged indecent exposure or behaviour and for soliciting clients, even while they were inside the brothel houses.

Forcefully signing undertakings

Commercial sex workers were made to sign undertaking at rescue homes that they will not return to commercial sex work and were threatened if they were again caught

Invading right to privacy

Police allegedly, forcefully shot videos of customers and others caught during the raids and uploaded it on social networking sites which is a violation of right to privacy and right to dignity. So, customers now ask sex workers to visit them outside the premises which is not always possible for them and becomes a costly affair.

Negotiating power and safety of workers at stake

The crackdown has put the sex workers’ negotiating power and safety (including sexual health) at stake. Workers are forced to charge much less and work in unsafe conditions.

Economic crisis and mental stress

All interviewees reported that the crackdown has led to economic crisis and loss of livelihood and income. The inability to make ends meet has resulted in hunger, starvation, inability to pay rent, indebtedness, inability to support children and extended families. All these resulting in further mental stress and helplessness.

Atmosphere of fear in the area

The distinction between ‘traditional sex workers’, ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ is extremely fluid in Budhwar peth as in any other place. Therefore, the categorisation based on Aadhar card/address of the native place is not only futile, but also one which creates an atmosphere of constant fear and insecurity among the community. This amounts to an invasion of privacy and confidentiality too.

Recommendations by the fact-finding team

-The nakabandi and check posts used to crack down on people entering the Budhwar peth area should be removed and that the harassment, intimidation and humiliation of customers be stopped immediately.

-Arbitrary police raids and the crackdown on sex workers should stop immediately, so that sex workers can live without fear of harassment, criminalisation or being forcibly picked up by the police.

-It is the duty of the state administration to ensure that the provisions of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956, are not misused against adult women in sex work voluntarily carrying out their work. In this context, there is a need for sensitisation of the police force towards the sex workers’ community in Budhwar peth and of the rights of sex workers.

What the police says

‘50% criminal activities down after implementation of nakabandi’

Suhas Bawche, deputy commissioner of police (zone 1), under whose jurisdiction the Budhwar peth area comes, said, “If there are any grievances noticed by the NGOs about the Budwar peth red light area they can share the information with us and we will take corrective measures. The claims made against us about the raids are not true. We have not taken any illegal action against sex workers. They have been identified by the court and then sent to rehabilitation. The raids and action taken by our department is as per the law. If they have any objections against our actions or want to give suggestions, they can come to us for a discussion.”

When asked about the implementation of nakabandi in Budhwar peth from January to May 2019, Bawche said, “We were able to keep a check on criminal activities in the area after the implementation of nakabandi in the area. According to action taken by our teams and data collected, I can say that 50 per cent of the crime rate has gone down in the area. Criminal activities like eve-teasing, pickpocketing, robbery and street fights have come down since the night patrolling was carried out in Budhwar peth.”

Residents’ reaction

Why should the locals suffer?

Ashok Paygude, a resident of Budhwar peth, said, “During these three to four months, there have been continuous police raids and nakabandi during the night. We know it is a sensitive area, but why should the residents suffer? Other than sex workers, there are residents, local shop owners, people who have their own small businesses here and their lives are affected. We are not able to step out during the night. The residents who come home late form work are regularly checked and questioned by the police. This happens despite telling them that we are residents of the area.”

First Published: Jun 18, 2019 17:04 IST