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Children of Commercially Sexually Exploited Women

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"Children of Commercially Sexually Exploited Women" is the title of this module. It seeks to give the learner some fundamental knowledge of the following:

  • Who is a woman who has been sexually exploited for profit?
  • What fundamental laws govern the commercial sex trade in India?
  • What are the unique problems affecting CSEW children, such as: Identity problems, Social and psychological problems, Housing and security problems, Health problems, Education problems, and CSEW children's rehabilitation problems.
  • issues with abuse of drugs, sex, and other substances.

Content

  1. Introduction
  2. Definition. 
  3. Situational analysis of the children of CSEW:
  4. Efforts to minimize the problems of the children of CSEW.

Introduction

In India, the sex industry is expanding. Girls and women are coerced into this profession. 10 to 12 year old females can be seen on the streets of Red Light Districts looking for customers. There are also girls in the company who are between the ages of 15 and 16. According to one study, 40% of sex workers in red light districts are youngsters, and the majority of them are the offspring of professional sex workers1. Women and girls who work in this industry become pregnant as a result of unsafe sex and lack of knowledge about STDs and contraceptives. They frequently experience coercion or financial inducement to engage in sexual activity without using condoms. Due to the adverse circumstances, childbirth could not be a pleasant experience for the girls and women. There are several locations where commercial sex trade occurs, including brothels, condos, hotels, pubs, restaurants, parks, open spaces like bare ground, riverbanks, etc. These women's children are placed in the care of brothel owners or pimps, who use this as leverage to force the women to put in more effort and longer hours. Children face challenging circumstances from the moment of birth due to improper feeding schedules, a mother's lack of attention, poor and unclean living conditions, and the usage of medicines to induce sleep. At a very young age, these youngsters are exposed to drugs and sex. It is usual to see people fighting for customers or exposing their bodies. At a young age when they are not even conscious of their biological identities, boys must work as pimps and females must work as service providers. These circumstances cause children to grow up with many doubts about their identities and existence. The ability to analyze the circumstances and requirements of one's working environment can be developed by the student through this subject. If necessary, learners with understanding can create the intervention modalities.

Definition:

A sex worker is a person who sells her body to another person to fulfill their sexual desires. Women who are forced to perform sex acts for the benefit of others are referred to as commercially sexually exploited women.

Children of women who were commercially sexually exploited: For the purposes of this module, we take into account all children whose mothers are forcibly involved in the commercial sex trade; regardless of whether they live with their mothers or not, whether they were born through marriage or not, and regardless of their geographic location, whether they reside in a red light district or somewhere else that has not been designated as a red light district. (For the remainder of this lesson, we will refer to CSEWs as Commercially Sexually Exploited Women.)

Brothel: Any home, room, vehicle, or location—or any section of a home, room, vehicle, or location—that is utilized for the sexual exploitation or abuse of another person, for their own advantage, or for the mutual gain of two or more prostitutes is considered a brothel.

Red Light District: Red Light Districts are "neighborhoods or portions of neighbourhoods where establishments associated with the sex trade are located."

Situational analysis of the children of CSEW

It is really troubling to think about the lives of commercial sex workers. Police monitor red light districts to stop human trafficking. Periodically, raids are carried out to free the captive trafficking women held in brothels. Another significant area of concern is the health of CSEW. Numerous nonprofit groups collaborate with CSEW. These organizations typically work to improve the living conditions of CSEW by giving them access to basic utilities, organizing them to fight for their fundamental human rights, and providing them with medical care to treat illnesses and infections. CSEW is at the center of many government-sponsored initiatives for HIV/AIDS prevention. In the red light districts, there are a number of CSEW who house their kids there. Children of commercial sex workers are particularly at risk for a variety of dangers. They are all considered to be "Children in Need of Care and Protection." Every person has the right to physical, mental, social, and protection security. These fundamental rights apply to everyone, including CSEW members and their kids. It is not their fault that they were born in a neighborhood with red lights. One of the most vulnerable groups of children is that of the offspring of commercial sex workers who reside with their mothers in brothels and other red light districts. Since they do not have a distinct private location to dwell, kids are exposed to the commercial sexual behaviors that take place around them as they are growing up. They are compelled to live a life of decadence, neglect, and abandonment, which has an impact on their morals and social ideals.

Following are some of the issues that concern children of CSEW: 

Physical, social, and psychological security concerns include things like where you live, your risk of getting hurt, getting beaten up, getting sexually assaulted, etc. Girls in particular who are reared in red light districts are more likely to experience sexual abuse. The majority of CSEW labor and reside in cramped, one-room tenements or cubicles in brothels. Children frequently get sick from the filthy environment since they are left to walk the streets alone and uncared for. Young children experience terror due to extended periods of parental absence and emotional depletion. Children are exposed to adult sexual behavior that is unrestrained in their environment. Physical and psychological insecurity are caused by all of these circumstances.

Development in terms of the physical, psychological, and educational needs of these kids, who have been victims of their circumstances since birth, has received little attention. The breadth of difficulties from conception till adulthood are covered in a study on child rearing practices among brothel-based commercial sex workers by Pardesi Geeta and Bhattacharya, S. The study has shown that CSEW children's lives are under danger right from birth. Since giving birth in hospitals is not common, most deliveries take place there. Due to their irregular work schedules and lack of vaccinations, they are more susceptible to communicable diseases than women who exclusively breastfeed. Their immunity and health are negatively impacted by inadequate diet and nutrition as well as bad hygiene.

Children are constantly exposed to violence, obscenity, emotional depravity, harsh language and behavior, and the usage of intoxicants. Their mothers are assaulted, humiliated, sexually abused, and arrested in front of them. Such an environment severely impedes healthy psychological development and natural personality maturation. Very little consideration is given to the education of CSEW children. Due to the stigma linked to their moms' profession, many schools are unable to accept these children. Frequently, their mothers send kids to school so that they can attend to their clients without interruption. And such children receive neither educational support nor a conducive family setting for learning. All of these factors contribute to a high dropout rate.

Exposure to Drugs, Alcohol and Sex Trade: Children are exposed to drugs and alcohol from an early age. Frequently, their mothers drug them to keep them sleeping during their sexual labor. As they mature, they imitate their moms' use of alcoholic beverages. Some youngsters are utilized for child pornography and are directly or indirectly involved in sex trade to fulfill the sexual desires of clients. The author once visited the red light district in Pune and witnessed a nine-year-old boy acting as an agent for his mother, who was 48 years old, while his mother sat in a corner praising the youngster's persuasive speech abilities. Thus, boys get directly or indirectly involved in the sex trade as pimps or trafficking agents. Moreover, youngsters from red light districts typically lack the qualifications and connections required to obtain employment in any other field. In the case of girl children, they are groomed to follow in their mother's footsteps, since they are instructed from a young age to serve clients tea/cold drinks/alcohol, smokes, etc., or to dance in front of them.
Health Issues: Since birth, children of commercial sex workers have had untreated health difficulties. They are not offered vaccinations to avoid childhood ailments. The majority of them are also susceptible to catching skin illnesses, sexually transmitted diseases, and potentially HIV from their mothers. Lack of nutritious diet, inadequate health care, and exposure to filthy environments make them particularly susceptible to many diseases. Girls appear to receive more health care than males because brothel owners view them as future CSEW and want to invest in their physical well-being.

Efforts to minimize the problems of the children of CSEW. 

In India, there are two unique laws regarding commercial sex work (prostitution). The first statute is the "Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act" of 1986. This is a change to the 1956 Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act (SITA). The second is the 2006 amendment to the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Though the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act did not outlaw sex work in India, it did criminalize a number of practices associated with the industry, such as using any premises as a brothel, living on the earnings of prostitution, holding any person in custody for sex work, recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring, or receiving a person for the purpose of prostitution; detaining a person in premises where prostitution is carried out; seducing a person in the course of According to section 2(aa) of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, a "kid" is a person who has not reached the age of eighteen. It is true that there is no specific legal protection for children living with CSEW, but some PITA laws can be utilized to ensure the safety of these youngsters.

The recently implemented "Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) 2009" includes the following policies that also target this population. The objective of ICPS is to provide for children in challenging situations and to reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of children living in settings that lead to abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment, and separation. 1) Children in need of care and protection as defined by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (JJ.Act) of 2000; and 2) Any other vulnerable kid (including, but not limited to, children of women in prostitution and children affected/infected by HIV/AIDS). Thus, children of CSEW can get institutional treatment in 'Children's Homes' and 'Shelter Homes' if they are classified as 'children in need of care and protection' The JJ Act empowers Child Welfare Committees to separate CSEW children from their mothers, who are deemed incompetent to care for their children, and rehabilitate them through adequate care in "Children's Homes." Likewise, children of CSEW who are forced to live on the streets might utilize the services of "Night Shelters."

In recent years, a number of nonprofit groups (usually known as NGOs) have been providing child support services in red light districts. The objective of these so-called 'non-governmental organizations' was to provide specific services to children living in these locations that would aid in preventing second-generation prostitution, as well as to promote alternative life and employment possibilities.

Some of the main voluntary organizations in this respect are – Prerana, Mumbai; Navjeevan Kendra, Mumbai; Apane Aap, Delhi; Sanjeevan Shishu Adhar Gruha, Pune; Saheli Sangha, Pune; Snehalaya, Aurangabad; Vimalashram Garkhul, Nagpur, Balsadan, Nagpur etc. In addition, hundreds of additional nonprofit organizations are active in the subject. Surprisingly, government participation in this industry has fallen short of expectations. In light of the special intervention potential of specialized voluntary organizations that deal with the protection and rehabilitation of CSEW children, it is believed that special schemes to provide financial assistance to such organizations are required to strengthen their presence and increase their intervention capabilities.

Need-based Intervention  

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees, among other rights, the right to protection, which encompasses freedom from all types of exploitation, abuse, cruel or degrading treatment, and neglect, as well as the right to emergency protection. Therefore, efforts are being undertaken to ensure that these rights are protected for CSEW children. The majority of these attempts are initiated by non-profit groups. Effective intervention for children of CSEW should be individualized and based on their needs. Several of these intervention strategies are listed below:

Institutional Care 

Some CSEW are aware of the repercussions of having their kids live with them. They want their children to be cared for in specialist facilities because they are well aware that they deserve a brighter future. They recognize the value of formal education as well. As a result, they are ready to let their kids be removed from them and placed in such facilities. Additionally, they demand visitation rights so they can see their kids on occasion. In these situations, it is recommended to present the child before the Child Welfare Committee with the mother's permission in order to commit them to a "Children's Home" by designating them as "children in need of care and protection." In order for the mother and child to adapt to the intervention strategy, they would both need preparatory coaching and counseling. Both younger and older children can benefit from this intervention. An organization in Nagpur called Vimalashram Garkhul offers institutional care to CSEW children who live far from their moms' places of employment. With the assistance of our group, 10 to 15 CSEW youngsters have graduated thus far; some of them are even pursuing PhDs. By opening a school in a village, some of the residents of this facility have begun assisting other youngsters with their schooling. These kids are urged to maintain contact with their mothers and to not feel ashamed of their family's history. This intervention strategy has proven to be effective.

Day Care and Night Shelter for Children 

CSEWs may be fully aware of how their work and the place they live in affect their children. They may not want to be separated from their children because they are emotionally very attached to them and will not allow this to happen. In addition, they are unable to offer them any safe haven because they lack suitable living quarters where parents may leave their kids while they are at work. Some CSEW are also interested in the possibility of their children continuing in the sex industry as a source of income; whether voluntarily or involuntarily, CSEW children pick up the trade's tactics. Because they must spend the majority of their time on the streets, even at night, the youngsters become vulnerable to abuse. In order to address this problem, some NGO's offer daycare, overnight shelters, and food facilities to the children of CESW in an area close to where their moms reside or work. The mothers won't have to worry about their kids being taken away from them permanently and will be able to visit them anytime they want. Many CSEW are opposed to the thought of their children receiving "Institutional Care." Only a few NGOs have begun offering a bridge program for students seeking to enroll in school.

CSEW counseling services:

It is well knowledge that counseling can be a significant factor in encouraging CSEW to adopt healthy behaviors that will protect both their physical and mental well-being. The CSEW may be persuaded to embrace social work interventions in addition to HIV/AIDS counseling if they will enhance their quality of life and help their children grow. This could serve as the first intervention tactic in some circumstances. It is a fact that those who want to keep the children of CSEW in the sex trade frequently engage in disinformation campaigns to persuade CSEW to recall their children who are in "Institutional Care," telling them that their children will resent them and have no emotional ties to them if they are there. Therefore, effective counseling is also necessary to combat such misdirection.

Relevance of individuals with professional training:

Make sure a team of professionals who have undergone professional training is putting all three of the intervention options we've discussed into action. Because taking a careless or unprofessional attitude out of pure pity would be ineffective. Intervention for providing assistance to CSEW children is a continuous process. It is a drawn-out process that calls for both dedication and expertise. Additionally, it calls for tactics like lobbying, legal assistance, networking, and advocacy.

References

  1. Beard, 2010, Journal of the International AIDS Society. 
  2. Bhattacharya, Ilona, 2010, Vulnerability of Children living in red light area of Kolkata, Sanlaap, Kolkata 
  3. Das D. 1991, Giving the children of prostitutes their due. ICCW News Bulletin Websites 
  4. Encyclopedia of Prostitution and Sex Work, 2006 
  5. Jayeshree A. K., Case histories of children of sex workers. Foundation for integrated research in Mental Health, www.thrani.com 
  6. Govt of India, The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. 
  7. Govt of India, The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2006.
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