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Sex in the city
Legalising prostitution will provide legal protection and employment to sex workers
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After a tiresome hike from Gosaikunda to the Shivapuri hills I went to Thamel my body ached for a massage. So I headed to Thamel where I was offered two choices: a long massage for an actual body massage and a short massage which in other words was sex.
Shady offers
There is a difference between massage parlour and brothel houses. Massage parlours are for providing body massages and healthy living. Brothels, on the other hand places where commercial sex workers provide sexual services to their clients. Apparently, there is a correlation between these two services in Nepal. Massage parlors in Nepal do not only provide you with a revitalising massage but also have a lot more to offer. Prostitution, as we know is illegal in Nepal, due to which brothel owners do so through massage parlors, cabin restaurants and dance bars. Most of the sex workers of Nepal prefer a job in massage parlors and dance bars rather than on the streets as they can be safe from the police raids and also maintain their social status with a better earning.
Most of the sex workers are illiterate, unaware of the pros and cons of being a prostitute. Sex workers, definitely get a short-term relief from poverty but in the long run, they can suffer from social trauma and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Legal or illegal
There are some countries like, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belize, Latvia, Bangladesh and some parts of Australia and America where the policies related to prostitution are more liberal. They also have some legalised brothel houses. But there are also countries like North Korea, Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia, where prostitution is considered a serious crime and if found guilty, the punishment is death. There is no uniformity among European nations regarding the legalisation of prostitution. Despite being illegal, prostitution is carried out in some African countries due to the social breakdown and poverty caused by civil war. Prostitution is illegal in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan but is still going on in various disguised forms. Among Asian countries, sex tourism is quite popular in Thailand.
Forced sale of sex
Poverty and unemployment in rural areas force individuals or families to migrate to the urban areas. The Poverty Reduction Strategy paper shows that about 38 percent of the Nepali population is living under US $1 per day, and 82 percent under US $2 per day. In reality, no girl is interested in selling her body for money, but they end up being a prostitute as they don’t have any other way out. The government of Nepal does not have proper policies regarding prostitution. The Human Trafficking Control Act of Nepal was passed in 1986 with the aim of putting an end to trafficking in the form of prostitution, but is still ineffective.
There are many young girls and women from rural areas who are trafficked by promising them better jobs but end up as sex workers. Women from the Dalit, indigenous and traditionally marginalised groups mostly fall prey to such false promises. Every year around 5000 to 10000 girls are trafficked from Nepal India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Arabian countries for prostitution. Studies also show that around 30-38 percent of the trafficked victims are HIV positive. India is the safest and easiest destination for trafficking as Nepal and India share an open border.
Legalise prostitution
The Government of Nepal will never tolerate sex tourism but the issue has to be properly addressed. Prostitution carried out through illegal means is a risk to society. So it would be better to legalise prostitution and separate the red light zone. Legalisation of prostitution will provide legal protection and employment to the sex workers and in some way, will also help in minimising sex- related crimes. Besides that, the government should also provide sex education to sex workers on reproductive health; precautions and contraceptives use along with regular health check-up facilities. To avert the possibility of child prostitution the government should place a age bar along with the licensing system for sex workers.
Giri Bahadur Sunar
Published at : January 26, 2014
Updated at : July 15, 2020 09:19
After a tiresome hike from Gosaikunda to the Shivapuri hills I went to Thamel my body ached for a massage. So I headed to Thamel where I was offered two choices: a long massage for an actual body massage and a short massage which in other words was sex.
Shady offers
There is a difference between massage parlour and brothel houses. Massage parlours are for providing body massages and healthy living. Brothels, on the other hand places where commercial sex workers provide sexual services to their clients. Apparently, there is a correlation between these two services in Nepal. Massage parlors in Nepal do not only provide you with a revitalising massage but also have a lot more to offer. Prostitution, as we know is illegal in Nepal, due to which brothel owners do so through massage parlors, cabin restaurants and dance bars. Most of the sex workers of Nepal prefer a job in massage parlors and dance bars rather than on the streets as they can be safe from the police raids and also maintain their social status with a better earning.
Most of the sex workers are illiterate, unaware of the pros and cons of being a prostitute. Sex workers, definitely get a short-term relief from poverty but in the long run, they can suffer from social trauma and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Legal or illegal
There are some countries like, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belize, Latvia, Bangladesh and some parts of Australia and America where the policies related to prostitution are more liberal. They also have some legalised brothel houses. But there are also countries like North Korea, Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia, where prostitution is considered a serious crime and if found guilty, the punishment is death. There is no uniformity among European nations regarding the legalisation of prostitution. Despite being illegal, prostitution is carried out in some African countries due to the social breakdown and poverty caused by civil war. Prostitution is illegal in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan but is still going on in various disguised forms. Among Asian countries, sex tourism is quite popular in Thailand.
Forced sale of sex
Poverty and unemployment in rural areas force individuals or families to migrate to the urban areas. The Poverty Reduction Strategy paper shows that about 38 percent of the Nepali population is living under US $1 per day, and 82 percent under US $2 per day. In reality, no girl is interested in selling her body for money, but they end up being a prostitute as they don’t have any other way out. The government of Nepal does not have proper policies regarding prostitution. The Human Trafficking Control Act of Nepal was passed in 1986 with the aim of putting an end to trafficking in the form of prostitution, but is still ineffective.
There are many young girls and women from rural areas who are trafficked by promising them better jobs but end up as sex workers. Women from the Dalit, indigenous and traditionally marginalised groups mostly fall prey to such false promises. Every year around 5000 to 10000 girls are trafficked from Nepal India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Arabian countries for prostitution. Studies also show that around 30-38 percent of the trafficked victims are HIV positive. India is the safest and easiest destination for trafficking as Nepal and India share an open border.
Legalise prostitution
The Government of Nepal will never tolerate sex tourism but the issue has to be properly addressed. Prostitution carried out through illegal means is a risk to society. So it would be better to legalise prostitution and separate the red light zone. Legalisation of prostitution will provide legal protection and employment to the sex workers and in some way, will also help in minimising sex- related crimes. Besides that, the government should also provide sex education to sex workers on reproductive health; precautions and contraceptives use along with regular health check-up facilities. To avert the possibility of child prostitution the government should place a age bar along with the licensing system for sex workers.
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