Sonu (name changed) had a peaceful life in a village in Tumakuru with her husband and son. But that came to a halt when her husband died.
“He was riding a two-wheeler when a truck ran over him three years back. My husband was the sole breadwinner and I was shattered. The owner of the private truck gave us Rs 1 lakh compensation and the case was closed,” she said. Of the Rs 1 lakh, she spent Rs 20,000 on the funeral. “The remaining money lasted only for a few months. I then started working at a cellphone shop. Some customers, including colleagues, started misbehaving with me and I decided to quit my job.”
She then moved to her sister’s house in Bengaluru where she was insulted by her sister’s relatives. “I met a sex worker during my time here and she told me to take up the job. I was scared and devasted. With no other option, I agreed and the sex worker sent some of her clients to me.”
“I tried committing suicide twice after I entered this profession, but what stopped me was the thought of my son. I am used to this now. There are no regrets.” She now earns Rs 600 to Rs 2,000 per customer. “I’m not greedy. I meet customers twice a day. The rest of the time I’m with my son.”