Sex workers, transgenders turn paralegal volunteers

New frontiers have opened up for a group of sex workers and transgenders across four states, who have broken barriers by assuming a radical new identity that of paralegal volunteers.

The initiative that promises to change their lives and while touching the lives of others as well was taken up as a pilot project by a Delhi-based advocacy group 'Centre for Advocacy and Research' (CFAR) in states that have high prevalence of HIV.

"We don't need to be scared anymore to visit the police station. We can straight away go to the court with our problems, a task which was impossible before. With the legal knowledge, we help others as well. We are making a new identity for ourselves," said one of the sex workers during a workshop here where they shared their experiences.

A functionary of CFAR explained that paralegal volunteers are armed with knowledge about all laws and acts governing issues like domestic violence and sexual harassment at workplace.

This expertise would come in handy for around 211 sex workers in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra who are volunteering as part of the project which has the involvement of 22 community-based organisations as well.

"The confidence these women show is impressive. There is a very thin line between working with the law and taking law in our own hands. These women work with the law and ensure that justice is served in a very effectual way," said an official of the NGO.