Thread by @iVardhmanJain

Social Distancing is Impossible for Sex workers.
because Brothels are located in jam-packed red light areas.

Delhi’s GB Road has more than 3,000 sex workers housed in 80 small brothels.

Kolkata’s Sonagachi (Asia’s largest red-light area) has 8–10k sex workers. 1/5

Hygiene is a challenge, with limited access to running water and as many as 20 people sharing one bathroom. Brothels rarely have kitchens and women buy food from vendors.

For these women, the lockdown has meant the loss of their entire ecosystem. "No Business No Money" 2/5

With no govt support, these women are dependent on charities for basic needs incl Food & access to Medical during Lockdown.

GoI is unlikely to open brothels so early because researchers said closing down places of sex work may reduce projected COVID-19 death toll by 72%. 3/5

Urmi Basu, the founder of New Light in Kolkata, which works with children of sex workers, worries about the long-term situation.
She said "Sex workers don't anywhere as a marginalized group. The Govt doesn't want to accept that there's prostitution in the country." 4/5

According to the National Aids Control Organization (NACO), India has close to 6,37,500 sex workers, and over 5 lakh customers visit the red-light areas on a daily basis.

But the Govt doesn't even consider this marginalized section of the society which affected the most. 5/5

@threadreaderapp please unroll 🙏🙏