Is India ready to legalize commercial sex?
The French parliament recently tabled a controversial anti-sex-trade bill that shifts criminal responsibility from commercial sex workers (CSW) to clients, as is being followed in Sweden.
Such laws, say activists in India who have been working towards legalizing and decriminalizing the trade and the rights of CSWs, will prove counterproductive. "Harsh laws, be it against CSWs or their clients, will only push them underground, leading to further violence and atrocities against the community," says Manohar Elavarthi, member of Praja Rajakiya Vedike (PRV), which works for better living conditions of CSWs.
