Corona crisis: Varanasi sex workers on the verge of starvation

Sex workers in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi are striving hard to earn their livelihood during Coronavirus lockdown. With no source of income and shortage of basic food materials, many sex workers who have been working in this field are bracing for a tough time ahead.

Varanasi: The corona pandemic has slowed the pace of industrial activities worldwide. So far, lakhs of people have lost their lives to the coronavirus infection globally. The corona cases are increasing every day across the world, though the efforts are on worldwide to check the spread of coronavirus. Some of the countries have even partially succeeded in putting a check on the spread of coronavirus. India is also not untouched by the corona pandemic. ETV Bharat team surveyed the condition of sex workers in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh and tried to find out the hardships being faced by them.

Notwithstanding all efforts from the Government of India, there is a continuous increase in the number of corona cases in the country. There was lockdown for a longer period of time in the country to check the spread of the coronavirus as a result of which millions of people were rendered jobless. Those hit hard were daily wagers, street vendors and others, who are struggling to meet even their two ends meals. From the common man to the rich, all have been impacted by the corona induced lockdown in one way or the other. The lockdown hit sex workers so badly that they are not able to sustain even their daily needs now.

Not able to pay house rent

Lockdown has also hit a section of the society about whom most of us even don’t talk. These members of our society are known as prostitutes or sex workers. In order to know their plight in the age of corona, ETV Bharat team visited Shivdaspur Road red light area in Varanasi district. Talking to the team of ETV Bharat, many sex workers admitted that their trade has come to a standstill. They get one or two visitors in one day. For want of adequate income, they are not able to pay the house rent and meet their bare minimum needs.

Adopting other means to fulfil basic needs

Left with no source of earning through their traditional work, many sex workers have switched over to other works to earn their livelihood. They are doing whatever they can. Most of them are doing some minor work. During their conversation with the ETV Bharat team, they said that before the lockdown was imposed, they were able to earn Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per day. Now there is no income due to which they are not able to meet the basic needs of their families.

Families engaged in flesh trade

Shivdaspur Road red light area is located in Manduadih in Varanasi district where illegal flesh trade is carried on. It is worth noting that the Shivdaspur red light area is globally known. Those living in this area have been doing flesh trade for long. There are around 30 to 40 families in this red-light area, who are said to be engaged in flesh trade.

How do they manage?

Sex workers of Shivdaspur red light area, while talking to ETV Bharat team, said that they were faced with the serious problem of survival when the lockdown was imposed. They lost their source of income. Managing food had become a big challenge for them. The only source of hope for them was some social organizations which distributed food among them during the lockdown and helped them stay alive.

Hesitant to avail benefit of govt schemes

Residents of Shivdaspur red light area told ETV Bharat that they don’t have much interest in availing benefits of the government schemes. ETV Bharat team told them about the Rehabilitation Centre meant for them. They said that they have spent the most years of their life in the dirty lanes of Shivdaspur red light. So, they do not want to move to the Rehabilitation Centre. Even if they do so, the civil society will not accept them. They said that their life would become more difficult if they move to another place from the red light area as the existing social ecosystem does not promise them a congenial atmosphere!