ABSTRACT
The status of sex workers in India has been questionable for quite a long time, raising very serious issues and threatening the very existence of such workers. This system is still unclear and needs some clarity in terms of the status, rights and protection to the persons practicing it as their profession. The main reason for such an ambiguous setup is that some countries accept certain forms of sex works, some countries criminalize it and some are just silent about their legality. The legal status of this profession varies from one country to another. Even where sex work is not criminalized, sex workers are rarely protected by law. They are at constant risk of abuse and are extremely marginalized and are forced to live outside the laws. There exists an ever increasing need to address the legal barriers that affect sex workers. Thus, this chapter tracks the history and evolution of sex workers and how their flourishing profession turned into a demon. Further, the chapter looks into ways and means to protect and secure human rights violations these workers endure and shall critically analyze the issues from moral, social and legal perspectives.
