Press Release | Assault on Sex Workers in Bangalore
On 23.03.2014, Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberties filed a complaint with the Karnataka
State Human Rights Commission, on behalf of sex workers who are being subjected to
police violence in Majestic, Upparpete KG Road and adjoining areas. This complaint
was in addition to the complaint filed by PUCL on February 06, 2014 on the same
issue, wherein incidents of violence against sex workers were detailed, including
incidents where women have been beaten up just for standing on the road, or while
walking towards the bus stop to catch a bus. Women have been beaten up and forced
to go to the police station, where they are compelled to pay money, failing which they
are threatened that false cases will be filed against them. They are neither given
receipts, and any question raised by the woman is met with further assault by police
officials. Further, the police have been indulging in acts causing public humiliation and
embarrassment to the women by shouting at them on loudspeakers when they walk
on the road and by pushing them aside and beating them on the road, and using
derogatory language with them. The police have also been taking photographs of
them, both in public and in the police station, and threatening to release them to TV
channels. In fact, there have been instances of women being beaten and humiliated
when they are with their children, outside the course of their work, simply because
they have been identified as sex workers. Any attempts to make complaints against
the police officials results in further harassment of the women. In fact there have also
been instance of social workers working with sex workers who have also been
targeted, assaulted and made to endure extreme police violence. Despite an order of
the SHRC directing that an enquiry be conducted by the Inspector General of Police,
State Human Rights Commission, into the contents of the complaint dated
06.02.2014, violence against the women continued, and on 24th and 25th of February,
ten sex workers were chased, abused and assaulted by the police in Upparpete. Mr.
CG Hunagund, member of the Commission, took cognizance of the new complaint
filed by PUCL, that the violence was continuing unabated and with impunity, and
passed an order directing the Inspector General of Police of the Commission to submit
a report within a month, i.e., by 23.04.2014. He also took note of the circular dated
30.09.2004, issued by the office of the Director General and Inspector General of
Police, which mentions that the provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act
should be used against the agents and facilitators of sexual exploitation of women
and children, and not against sex workers themselves. This complaint comes at the
end of a series of representations made by PUCL to various authorities, namely, to the
Commissioner of Police, to the Director General and Inspector General of Police, to the
Deputy Commissioner, West Division, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chikpete
Sub-division, and to Ms. Umashree, Minister of Women and Child Development in
Karnataka. However, any respite from violence is always temporary, and the verbal
abuse is incessant. It is hoped that the SHRC’s enquiry and recommendations will
finally allow women in Upparpete to access public spaces without fear of assault and
police violence.
Prof.Rajendra Y J
PUCL-K
9449011530
Isaac Arul Selva
PUCL-K
9480452037