It’s time to end violence against sex workers: Speakers

Violence against sex workers should be minimized with various initiatives from all sectors while media's sensitive role can potentially reduce torture on them, suggested speakers of a programme on Monday.

A non-government development organisation, HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre (HARC) organised the programme as part of a special campaign to end violence against sex workers, said a press release of HARC.

In August and September, HARC, HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre implemented the special campaign where organisation officials, field workers and sex workers attended the briefing session.

The national Coordinator of HARC, Niger Sultana mentioned that violence is one of the primary issues that sex workers are facing in Bangladesh.

The violence may take in many forms such as physical, sexual, economical or emotional violence as well, she added.

Perpetrators may be intimate partners, police, military, clients, family or society and the violence can occur anywhere and at any time, she added.

Besides, during the COVID-19 crisis domestic violence has increased. A lack of income, depleting savings, stress and anxiety have fueled domestic violence, according to the sex workers.

Morzina Begum, a HARC outreach worker mentioned that sex workers face many challenges including violence, poverty, lack of social support, stigma and discrimination, lack of access to healthcare, lack of education, and lack of access to justice.

Sathi Akter, an advocacy steering committee member mentioned that over the last month, sex workers were empowered with information about their rights, human rights, legal literacy, capacity-building and collective action against all forms of violence.

Another steering committee member Salma mentioned that sex worker organisations, civil society actors, and NGOs are committed to develop and implement strategies to advocate for the decriminalisation of sex work.

Decriminalisation advocacy initiatives must be developed to promote evidence-based legal frameworks which protect sex workers.

Minu, another outreach worker mentioned that they talked with the police to involve them in the projects.