Gracia Pariat
Rot Association of Meghalaya, or RAM, was founded by five practicing sex workers in 2010 and was originally intended to help ‘sisters in distress’, according to its official Telegram channel. RAM is just one of several clandestine organisations which exist in India today, though the popularity of this secret association peaked in March, 2021.
This association is the incubator of democracy, many say, as they elected its leaders and drew up a constitution to govern its operations. It wasn’t an accident that NSWP on the recommendation of the United Nations Human Rights Office included RAM as its member last September. Like many networked radicals, much of its power was wrapped up in its ability to stay anonymous and keep its communications secret. But then again, the emphasis on secret was what inspired so much interest in this sex workers’ club.
Though the members of RAM lobby for decriminalisation, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act remains controversial. Sex workers in Meghalaya continue to face criminalization, violence, discrimination and other forms of human rights violations which increase their risk of acquiring HIV. However, RAM is leading efforts to advance its human rights and access to HIV services in the state.
Recently, RAM questioned the Meghalaya Government that instead of enhancing sex workers’ rights and safety, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act effectively criminalises prostitution, frames all sex work as exploitative and all sex workers as victims of trafficking. RAM further stated that this framing enhances the stigma tied to the industry, making it harder for sex workers in the state to have the legitimacy of their labour recognised. In addition, it increases the dangers sex workers may experience and makes it harder for them to protect themselves while on the job.
Even before Covid-19, research showed the harmful impact of sex work policies like the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act that criminalises customers. Despite several demands to reform the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, the MDA government is yet to act. As the economy begins reopening and Meghalaya marches to its 50th year, the MDA government should put an emphasis on protecting sex workers, customers and the greater community from the spread of the virus.
In a state where the government takes pride in humanist-based policy, our MLAs should engage in policy development that can better protect sex workers, combating marginalisation and stigmatisation, and improving the overall occupational health and safety of over 5,000 sex workers.
The short-sightedness of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and a failure to enact promised change by the Conrad Sangma government is more apparent now than ever. By fulfilling their campaign promise to this section of society, this government could actually deliver protection for members of RAM and people working in the sex industry. In doing so, people working in the sex industry here will have their labour rights protected and will be less likely to fall through the cracks, especially when government assistance is so urgently needed.
There was enough of an uproar against this secret society — from law enforcement agencies, moral police NGOs, religious organisations to civil society organisations — everyone was on the lookout for RAM. But like a typical Bollywood movie dialogue would say, “RAM ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai.”
But the search is still on.
(The author is a social worker)
