As commonwealth games approach, the Delhi Government is getting busier in up gradation and the beautification process of Delhi. With large chunks of international audience flocking the nation prostitution will hugely thrive during the Games; attracting sex workers and traffickers who smuggle women from various cities and countries to meet the booming demand during the games. Many might be forced against their will to work as a Commercial Sex Worker to meet the growing demands.
The mega prostitution extravaganza during the13th Commonwealth games seems to have got an unofficial nod from the Indian government.
After the Olympic Games, Commonwealth is the second popular game event in the world in terms of number of multinational athletes and participating teams. It is held once every four years. The ‘Friendly Games‘ are starting in Delhi from 3rd October 2010.
Delhi’s oldest red light area, GB road, is giving itself a more pleasing and friendly look. The paan-stained walls are being replaced by the glossy surface of the LCD TV while the fluent English of the sex workers will make the communication easier. Facilities like split air-conditioners and refrigerators are financed by the owners of the brothel houses to attract more customers.
Delhi based non-voluntary organizations are focused on the health and hygiene of the workers. A series of medical tests are being conducted to identify those who are HIV positive in order to ensure the safety of the sex workers as well as that of the prospective customers. There is bound to be a surge in the clients (largely tourists) in the brothels during the games, thus strict precautionary measures must be taken to avoid the spread of diseases.
NGO’s are counseling the workers about the preventive measures like, “No condom, no sex, as simple as that” as told by a sex worker from Andhra.
Americans and Europeans tourists have remained the much awaited and favorite clients of the Escort services as they pay well. These agencies are busy increasing the number of national and international call girls in order to meet the customer’s requirements. Making the girls look well groomed and fit so that they can work for extra hours has become the main focus of the escort agencies.
Tina Jaiswal who owns the No 1 Delhi Escort agency said, “We hope to make good money during the games. We will simply follow the demand and supply principle of economics. We will double our rates a month before the games begin and increase our workforce.”
The flow of money in brothels during the games is likely to be much higher than what the government of India is spending on overall expenditures to hold the event. The escort agencies have fixed the rates at Rs 23,000 per hour to charge the foreign “Clients,” which ultimately concludes to the tunes of millions of rupees more than what the government of India would be spending, making the already rich multi-million dollar industry richer.
The 12-days of sporting competition will be requiring 2000-5000 sex workers every day. Uday Sahay, Additional Director General (communications) Commonwealth Games said, “There are so many things which need to be discussed and this [prostitution] is one of them. We are in the process of discussing these things and hopefully a committee will be formed to tackle this soon.”
Many workers in the brothels are, concerned about the bad state of roads which could possible turn away the tourists. “We have approached the MCD many times requesting them to remove the garbage on our roads and to improve conditions of the roads. That’s the least they can do for us. When all other localities are getting a face-lift, why not ours?” asks a brothel owner, who did not wish to be named.
MCD officials admit that they have no plans of beautification for GB Road. Sex workers are also concerned that their clients might be harassed by police. “Police sometimes threaten clients, especially tourists, to earn some quick money. To appease them, we are forced to offer small ‘gifts’,” says the owner.
The brothel owners are leaving no stone unturned for earning quick glitter, but the future of thousands of workers after the games does not look so glittery. Delhi has never been kind to women but after hosting this sex carnival alongside a sports extravaganza, it is expected to act crueler with the common women due to fast deteriorating moral standards initiated during the games.
quotes and details from: http://dailymailnews.com/1001/22/FrontPage/specialReport.php and http://www.deccanherald.com/content/72404/brothels-get-facelift-ahead-commonwealth.html
image: http://socyberty.com/society/indian-women-and-teens-girls-sex-life/