Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Prostitution goes hitech in India

With the advent of globalization, technological advancement penetrates the red light districts of India. Gone are the days when one had to look behind one’s shoulders, and, palpitating in promiscuity, find his way through the seedy lanes and by-lanes of red-light districts. Now, it’s possible to satiate one’s erotic fantasies by just the click of a computer mouse. Why only men? As the trend suggests, women are increasingly looking beyond the marital bedroom for sexual satisfaction in lieu of money and favours. Men and women are equal beneficiaries of a new explosion in the sexual services sector. There are escort services to suit all budgets and erotic massage parlours that don’t require you to go to them but they come to your hotel room.
Craigslist is a web site that provides you an anonymous and free platform to interact with billions of fellow users worldwide for experimenting with erotica. It has pioneered the entire online classified business to a magnanimous level.
It’s a virtual buffet offering all things to all people, thriving on the popularity of its Erotic Services section catering to people coming from various societal spectrums and geographical locations.
It’s also perhaps the only utility web site in India with an unrestricted section on dating and prostitution.
A woman writes on the Ahmedabad Craigslist-Erotic Services section: Are you feeling lonely? With no lady companionship with you? Hate those cold nights or warm afternoons, wishing for someone to be by you. Whether you are shy or too outspoken. Only a lady knows a way to another girl's heart. If you need help contact me to get your secret guide.
This one is from a man on the Bangalore Craigslist: Hi!! I'm a tall, good looking young boy from Bombay, been here in bangalore for over a year now. During the years that i've spent in bombay, I've developed this queer, yet very interesting, knack of satisfying all the desires of all the demanding ladies whom i've met. Now, I'm hoping to be given an opportunity to continue the same here in Bangalore!! So all you ladies looking for any sort of companionship, kindly email me with a snap of yours as i'm rather choosy about who i service. Thank you!
Some advertisements are more explicit, like this one on Chennai Craigslist: Frankly speaking i need company of a nice , clean girl for few hours on payment basis. Payment will be upfront and in cash. Pls contact.
Some take the liberty of flaunting sexual preferences. On Delhi Craigslist: HELLO I am 24 yrs old GAY MALE ESCORT with attractive, sensational ,delicious, and natural charm . I am combined with good looks, erocticism making it perfect for all manner of occasions.Body worship, erotic massage and nice companionship is my speciality.I am a total package with erotic skills,good personality,pert lips, stunning body,passionate and great in bed. I am available for outcalls in DELHI with good Service.
Much to the chagrin of the virtuous, conservative Indian populace, current generation Indians have gone gung ho over sexual liberalization. Today, culture consciousness in India is synonymous to overt indifference towards indigenous ethnicity, blindly plagiarizing the selective West: MTV and the brave new Mc Worlds culture to be precise.
As for in the West, in the USA, Craigslist has been vindicated by the Press, the law-enforcements, NGOs, as well as the Federal body. Mayor Shirley Franklin of Atlanta issued a letter to the owners of Craigslist stating that Craigslist is a prime source of human trafficking and sexploitation of children. The letter requested the cooperation of Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and president Jim Buckmaster to institute reforms of the website that would deter sex crimes against children.
More recently, Attorney General of Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal demanded that Craigslist purge apparent, often graphic solicitations for prostitution rampant on certain sections of its website.
With its free postings and relative anonymity for its users, Craigslist's Erotic Services site has become a vehicle for the trafficking and exploitation of women and children. There are frequent reports of children falling prey to traffickers who then advertise them on Craigslist. Victims as young as four years old have been advertised for sex on the US site.
In the light of economic advancement, it’s a matter of speculation, how India deals with moral and cultural anarchy of its rising bourgeoisie.
Age-old stereotypes about India are crumbling fast. The beginning of the economic liberalisation programme in 1991 led to the overhaul of traditional perceptions on sex and erotica. The proliferation of Internet may yet be limited to the top 13.50 per cent of the population, but even there we are talking of 150-200 million people, i.e, two-thirds of all Americans. Unlike east Europeans, Indians have not exported their sexual services sector, but have thrived on a huge domestic market. Craiglist is the most preferred platform for its confidentiality-assured section. Prostitution, adultery and most forms of licentious behavior are still illegal under Indian penal codes. But the government of India has denied the nation’s ancient prudish tradition by accepting free sex as a fait accompli. Conservative groups resent the government’s attitudes on sexual morality – as manifested in the contentious “sex education” format which turns a blind eye to traditional concepts like virginity before marriage, abstention, etc.—and urge the reconstruction of old barriers. A thriving liberal media blocks all debate on the cavalier attitude towards free sex, prostitution, trafficking and black balls all who protest as “moral police”, “anti-technology”,etc.