Mumbai NGO to train male sex workers in vocational courses

Mumbai: Trying to earn their self-respect back, over 50 male sex workers in the city will be undergoing training in vocational courses held by an NGO, in order to quit prostitution.

The city-based NGO Sambhavana, which has been working for the welfare of over 9,000 male sex workers registered with it, will soon be training these workers in mobile repair, electronic appliance repair and plumbing.

"Most of these men come to Mumbai in search of jobs but end up in sex trade. We are trying to help them earn a better living," convener of the NGO, Jasmir Thakur told PTI.

Twenty seven-year-old Omprakash, has spent nearly 12 years in Mumbai working as a Masseur, a garb under which thousands of male sex workers work in the city. He is one of the persons who has registered for the vocational courses.

"My parents in Mathura do not know what I do here. The job pays well and my family is happy with the money I send them everyweek," Omprakash said.

But I am scared I will one day get infected with some disease and want to leave this job at the earliest, he said, adding, "I want to earn my self respect back."

According to a study conducted by the NGO, almost 17 per cent of the male sex workers in the city are HIV positive.

"It is alarming to see boys as young as 15 years come to Mumbai in search of decent jobs and then being dragged into prostitution," Jamir said.

"We realised even if we counsel these boys to quit the profession, they need an alternative as they are mostly school drop outs," he added. — PTI