Their aim was to sensitise the population, particularly the parliamentarians, to the state of sex workers on the island. Beaten by their clients and even by police officers, looked down upon by the public and ill treated at hospitals and in other institutions, these women have many doors closed to them. When they call the police, they face being arrested for soliciting men for immoral acts because prostitution is illegal in Mauritius.
Once a doctor put on several pairs of gloves to examine a sex-worker. Some do not even touch our bodies. Why do they fear us? It happens in life, either by accident or because of poverty β that forces some women into this profession to be able to put food on the table to feed the family. On the streets, they are looked down upon and spat at. Dhiren Moher, vice-chairperson of PILS, a local NGO, denounces such attitudes but is mostly critical of the politicians who, he says, do not regard sex workers as part of society.
Yet they need their votes at election time. The NGO wants to improve the lives of sex workers by first and foremost denouncing the legislation that affects them.
Former Attorney-General, lawyer Rama Valayden is working on some propositions on the treatment of sex βworkers to submit to the government by February According to Valayden, there are several types of prostitution β women selling sex in the streets, gardens or recreational parks, male prostitution, call girls and also massage that proliferate on the island. He also says that many sex workers want to get out of this business but are unable to as it is almost impossible for them to get a clean certificate of morality that will help them get a job.
They cannot even get a license to trade as hawkers that will allow them earn a living. Prostitution in Mauritius also includes foreign workers from poor countries like Madagascar, Comoros, Rodrigues and Bangladesh, and even China β who work in the textile and manufacturing industry. Some of them engage in sex work on a part-time basis to earn extra money to take back home at the end of their stay because they are under-paid.
