Title: The vague perception of commercial sex work and exploitation of women: the Indian legal framework

Authors: Alisha Verma; Saroj Bohra

Addresses: Amity Law School, Amity University Rajasthan, NH 11C, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303007, India; Manipal University Jaipur, Dehmi Kalan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303007, India ' Amity Law School, Amity University Rajasthan, India

Abstract: Prostitution is a profession which exists in the history of mankind since time immemorial. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 is the single legislation in India that deals with prostitution, and it prevents soliciting in public, but does not and cannot prevent prostitution in private, the right to life and personal liberty and to carry on any profession saw to that. The practice of sex work has been considered exploitative to women by many international conventions and India being a signatory party to them needs to adhere. Despite this, we cannot deny the fact that this practice is going on a large scale in India and has various forms of discrimination and illegal practices around it. In the current paper, the authors have addressed the issue and have conducted a survey for recording opinions from various parts of the country, based on which, various suggestions have been put forth.

Keywords: prostitution; commercial sex work; discrimination; conventions; Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act; 1956.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2023.130016

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2023 Vol.10 No.2, pp.176 - 187

Received: 01 Mar 2022
Accepted: 18 Mar 2022
Published online: 04 Apr 2023 *

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