As the need for social distancing threatens the livelihood of sex workers, some are using Whatsapp and Google Pay to work from home. Riya has two names. One Hindu, one Muslim. Warna customer nahi aayega We have to go along with the wishes of our customers. Riya is a sex worker. When the nationwide lockdown began on 25 March, their customers all but disappeared. Hindus and Muslims, both. Over the past three weeks, however, Riya has got her trade back on track. The difference is, sex is not as frequent.
It was days into the lockdown. Most sex workers were struggling to make ends meet. A few NGOs had stepped in, offering food, groceries, medicines and counselling. But the community was scared about its future. Condom had helped until now but what do you use for this? A raincoat? One afternoon, she saw her saheli dressing up and putting on make-up.
Then I listened to her when she was on the call. She was talking dirty. I started laughing. I never had to talk to people. They would only ask me to do things: press here, touch there. But times were hard. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, who form a chunk of the clientele, had left for their homes. Riya, a migrant herself, like most sex workers in Mumbai, used to send money to her family in Karnataka every month. As her earnings dried up, her family started feeling the pinch too.
She decided to give phone sex a try. I would usually not engage. Do you? They agreed on a price. She called him back only after he sent her money via Google Pay.
She also offers a video chatβfor a higher price. But before coming on, she covers her face with a dupatta , so no one can record her in the act. On an average, she services two-three clients a day during her business hours: 5pm-4am. But then, sex work is a business. And today, every one of us is finding innovative ways to get back to business.
