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Sex workers' sit-in outside Kerala secretariat

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

Sex workers from all over the state held a sit-in before the Kerala secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to lodge their protest against harassment by police.

The sit-in was organised by the Sex Workers Forum, Kerala.

Volunteers attached to the forum said sex workers were being rounded up ahead of the Onam festivities throughout the state. Though this is being done ostensibly to prevent trouble during the government-sponsored celebrations - a huge tourist attraction - the forum said all the cops were interested in were bribes.

Thiruvananthapuram is the main venue for the state-wide celebrations of Onam that attract tourists both from within the states and outside.

Dr Jayashree, who heads a support group attached to the SWF, said cops blindly pick up sex workers to meet their targets. She admitted that most sex workers bribe the cops to get away.

Mythreya, convenor of the SWF, said it would be a long time before cops understand and appreciate the compulsions that bring women into prostitution.

"But we will continue our struggle...we didn't get into this thinking it was easy. We are here for the long haul," he said.

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