The Director General of Police (DGP), Karnataka must issue a circular upholding sex workers’ right to dignity and explicitly prohibiting police violence in the light of the Supreme Court order, a group of organisations have demanded.
Sadhana Mahila Sangha, a Bengaluru-based organisation that works for the rights of street based sex-workers, along with lawyers, women’s rights activists and support groups, held a press conference here on Friday to discuss the Supreme Court’s recent landmark interim order in the Budhadeb Karmaskar vs Union of India and its implications for the community.
They also demanded that the State Government must immediately initiate survey of ITPA protective homes, Santwana Kendras and reception centres in all districts of Karnataka. “They must immediately release adult sex workers lodged therein against their will. The State Government must initiate consultations with sex worker communities in Karnataka in order to frame a fresh policy for rescue and rehabilitation in the State that is in consonance with the needs of the community,” the said, adding that the Karnataka Police Department or the Home Ministry must not pass any directives/orders that violate sex workers’ right to dignity and privacy and must strictly comply with the Supreme Court orders.
