The brutal attack on a female sex worker by a policeman in Ratnapuara town recently, has helped expose the sordid and pitiful life of such women, an issue that authorities prefer to keep unaddressed and hidden, despite the stark reality that thousands of women engage in the flesh trade in the country. The story of [ The story of year-old Weerasinghe Arachchilage Kanthilatha who was the victim of the police attack, is the untold story of thousands of women who have been driven by poverty to engage in the sex trade, but lack of adequate laws to protect them means most of them are subject to both physical and verbal abuse, as well as harassment at the hands of the Police.
She became a mother around the age of 16, after a relationship with a young man she befriended. They married subsequently and she had another child, but soon the man deserted her leaving Kanthilatha and the children to fend for themselves.
It was a relationship she developed subsequently with another man, which led to her entry into the world of prostitution. This was some years ago. One day he went away leaving me there, and never came back. The hotel owner told me there was a big unpaid bill, and to recover the money, I would have to sell myself. Later, Kanthilatha went back to her hometown in Ratnapura, and was soon a regular among the sex workers operating around the main bus stand in the town.
According to Kanthilatha, her run in with the police sergeant was because she declined his request for a sexual favour. He is now under interdiction, following a video of his attack on Kanthilatha being uploaded on a social media network and going viral, which led to a public outcry that forced the authorities to act. See BOX story Kanthilatha, with the assistance of a group of young lawyers, has also filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court, citing violation of her rights enshrined in the Constitution, which include her right to equal protection of the law, as well as freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The highest were from Colombo with over 6,, while Gampaha, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and Kandy also had substantial numbers on record. Despite the openness with which Health authorities have chosen to address the issues of sex workers, the law enforcement authorities have been less forthcoming. Ironically, at least two protests were held in Ratnapura town, led, among others, by three-wheel drivers, against Kanthilatha and other sex workers who operate in the area, after the video emerged.
