NGOs highlight urgent need for action on sex workers’ rightsAround 1.33 lakh women are engaged in

On Human Rights Day, VIMUKTHI and HELP organised an awareness meeting at Vambe Colony, focusing on the theme “Sex Workers’ Rights, Future, Right Now”. On the occasion, Apurva, president of VIMUKTHI, a State-level forum for rescued trafficking survivors, delivered a powerful address, stressing that prostitution must be recognised as a system that strips women and girls of their dignity and equality. She pointed out that prostitution perpetuates discrimination and violence, reducing women to mere commodities. According to her, factors such as patriarchal norms, economic disparities, and globalisation continue to exploit marginalised women, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
Apurva highlighted that sex work, which is prevalent in Andhra Pradesh where an estimated 1.33 lakh women are engaged in it, is marred by stigma and violence. Studies show that over 88 per cent of sex workers in the State face discrimination in accessing basic services like healthcare, housing, and education. This marginalisation, she stressed, often leads to the breakdown of family support, leaving 63 per cent of sex workers and trafficking survivors isolated and without protection.
Violence against sex workers remains rampant, with 60 per cent of them reporting abuse from clients, intimate partners, or even husbands. Despite this, legal protection remains minimal, leaving survivors with little recourse. Additionally, nearly 40 per cent of sex workers lack access to adequate healthcare, and many suffer from mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression, aggravated by their experiences of exploitation.
The situation of children of sex workers is equally dire. Over 15,000 children are at risk of exploitation, with many dropping out of school between grades 8 and 10, further entrenching cycles of poverty and vulnerability to trafficking.
Rajini, vice-president of VIMUKTHI, and Mounika, joint secretary of the organisation, also spoke at the event, urging policymakers to adopt an abolitionist legal framework that distinguishes between trafficking for sexual exploitation and consensual sex work. They called for victim compensation schemes, witness protection mechanisms, and improved legal aid services to ensure that survivors can access justice without fear.
VIMUKTHI and HELP have urged governments, civil society, and communities to work together to protect the human rights of sex workers, recognising their dignity and creating inclusive opportunities for empowerment.
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