Citation

Shukla R. Int. J. Appl. Psychoanal. Stud. 2015; 12(2): 181-185.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/aps.1447

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The recent proposal by the Chairperson of India's National Commission of Women to legalize sex work in India has sparked of a debate around the polarizing subject of prostitution. Sex work, the term being increasingly used by organizations of people in prostitution, itself provokes outrage across a broad spectrum in India, from the conservative to the progressive and feminist. The fact that sex worker/prostitute evokes such strong reactions invites scrutiny. The debate with regard to law and sex work centers around the three options of prohibition, legalizing and de-criminalization. Total legal prohibition is a demand enjoying considerable support in society. Numerous institutions including international women's organizations work in this area with the perspective of the total outlawing of sex work. Legalizing prostitution, the recommendation of the Indian National Commission of Women, translates into regulation and involves state control of sex workers through licensing. De-criminalization refers to repeal of laws that prohibit sale of sexual services and appears to be the best option for sex workers in India and is a strategy advocated by sex worker rights organizations. The way ahead could be to initiate group processes of acknowledging, accepting and owning up to the "dirty", "bad" parts and learning to take responsibility for one's projections and taking them back at a collective level rather than splitting and projecting onto sex workers. This could be reflected in the arena of law by actively involving sex workers in the move to change the law and separate consensual sex work by adults from the entry of minors and the abominable practice of human trafficking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)

Language: en