“I am from Peddapuram. I am a 40-year-old widow. I lost my husband, who was a lorry driver in an accident that happened 20 years ago. I used to work as a basket making laborer for 150 rupees per day. Due to some allergic reactions and financial problems I had to quit that job. My parents died when I was quite young. I don’t remember anything from my childhood. None of my relatives took care of me. In those inevitable conditions, I ended up becoming a sex worker. I have two sons. My elder son is an HIV patient and my younger son is studying the third standard in a local government school.

I have to fight this overwhelming sadness, pain and focus on my work. If I start feeling sorry for my condition, I won’t get work which in return will affect my family. I have to take care of my two grand-daughters too. My son has two daughters. One grand-daughter studies in a government school and the other is studying in an English medium school. My daughter-in-law is a nurse, but we are not sending her for work. After the summer holidays, I am planning to join my younger son in the hostel, such that he doesn’t get to know what I am up to. He should not hate me for the kind of work I am doing.

We get abused and beaten up many a time. I cry every day for being in this profession. Sometimes, they take us inside saying it is only for one person, but ten of them end up using us. We can’t do anything in that situation, except bare that pain and agony. Sometimes customers threaten us and take money from us. We have to sleep on an empty stomach on such nights.

Sometimes I think, had my parents sent me to school, my life would have been different. Recently the government granted us a pension. Similarly, if they provide such provisions for us, we are ready to leave this profession and lead a peaceful life.

Although the government promised to give Rs 2000, we receive only Rs 1000 in hand. The money, we receive doesn’t really meet our needs. Nobody is ready to question this and I can’t question this on my own. I was once caught in a police raid and had to be in jail. We have to apply for bail by ourselves and bare all those expenses.”

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