Kathmandu, December 19:

A whopping 197 out of 200 respondents working in cabin restaurants,

massage parlours and dohori restaurants said they are against legalisation of flesh trade as they think it could have an adverse effect in the society, a survey conducted by Raksha Nepal, an NGO revealed.

The survey took workers in massage parlours, dance bars, cabin and dohari restaurants located in Thamel, New Baneshwor, Koteshwor, Sundhara, Gongabu and Gaushala in the sample. According to the survey, 57.5 per cent of the respondents were displaced from their villages due to the armed conflict while 91.5 per cent fall in the 15 to 28 year age group.

The survey found that 33.5 per cent of the women had entered the profession directly whereas 66.5 per cent of them had done some transitional jobs before entering the profession with a high potential of involvement in sex trade.

The respondents reportedly said that they were bound to work in such places, facing problems such as low and untimely payment, unnecessary trouble from police

administration and also forced sex.

The survey mentioned that the respondents had to work a minimum of seven to ten hours

per day, fetching them Rs 1,500 to Rs 10,000, an average of Rs 4605.50, every month. Of them, 87.5 per cent said they had not disclosed their job to their family members in the fear of facing contempt.

The report said that policemen and soldiers were their regular customers. The highest number of clients fell in the age group 31 to 50 years.

The report stated that 81 per cent of the women are compelled by customers and owners to be involved in sexual activities. It further revealed that 50 per cent of the customers hesitated to use condom during sexual activities.

The study showed that 23 per cent of the respondents are aware about HIV/AIDS whereas 60.5 per cent have little knowledge about it. The survey stated that 70.5 per cent of the respondents did not test their blood.

SSP Navaraj Silwal, head of Metropolitan Police Council, is of the opinion that the government should provide alternatives to sex trade and train the women involved in other skills.