Male sex workers in Mumbai to get training in vocational courses

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 the profession of prostitution.

The city-based NGO, Sambhavana will soon be training these male sex workers in mobile repair, electronics, appliance repair and plumbing at their office in Byculla in south Mumbai.

"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.

Omprakash, 27, 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 every week. But I am scared I will one day get infected with some disease and want to leave this job at the earliest. I want to earn my self respect back," Omprakash said.

According to a study conducted by the NGO, almost 17% of the male sex workers have tested positive for HIV.

"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. We realised even if we counsel these boys to quit the profession, they need an alternative as they are
mostly school drop-outs," Jasmir said.