Karnataka Sex Workers Union
About the Member
The Karnataka Sex Workers Union was started in 2007 and they have been working to register it as a labour union for a long time. But they could not do that because sex work is not recognized as work and there are no ‘owners’ in sex work, only clients. Hence, they registered as a Trust in 2023. The union works in Bengaluru Rural, Hassan, Yadgir, Bidar, Ramnagara, Kalburgi, Bellary, Vijayanagara, and Raichur among other places. There are 11 board members and sevsn staff members and around 7000 members associated with the union, of which, around 2500 members are active. There are around 80 active volunteers in the union. There are 70 members working in the Crisis Response Team (CRT) and 80 people working in the Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria projects for social entitlements.
Local Contact
Address: Karnataka Sex Workers Union, # 05, 4th cross Teacher’s Colony, Bhoopasandra, Sanjay Nagar main road, RMV 2nd stage, Bangalore, Karnataka – 560094
Primary Contact:
Prabhavathy: +91-9632897708
Secondary Contact:
Bharathi: +91-9611690683
Key Activities
Crisis Response
The key activities of the union include crisis response in seven districts of Karnataka. Community members constantly face crisis from the police, clients, and family among others. They conducted a public meeting with 18 government departments to discuss the issues with the ITPA (Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act), 1956 and the implementation of the same in Bidar. This included judges, lawyers, and DLSA among others.
Health and Stigma
There are health services and trainings provided for the community members related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. There are advocacy efforts and networking that aim to lessen the stigma and violence faced by sex workers.
Housing
Housing is one of the pressing issues among the community Here police raid the houses of sex workers and they lose their housing due to it, and they also face police brutality. Advocacy is continued for the same. Officials have asked for a list of sex workers for whom housing is a necessity. It is on the works currently.
Others
Their demands included support for the old PLHIV population of sex workers, housing, nutrition, education of children etc They work on children’s education as well and they view that as a path to empowerment.
Success Stories
- All Post
- Back
- Hosakanasu
- Bangalore
- Bangalore Rural
- Bellary
- Bagewadi
- Vijaypura
- Piriyapatna
- Yadgir
- Gadag
- Chikkaballapur
- Bagalkot
Shubam is a 24-year-old sex worker. The incident happened in Doddaballapura, Bangalore rural in 2021. She was unwell and went…