They see Goa as a place where foreign women sun bath naked and that every girl on the street here is going to sleep with them! Many domestic tourists have been found to have approached locals asking direction for brothels. There is a common misconception about Goa being a prostitution hub. Sex trade does take place in Goa there is no denying it, but not the way it is assumed.
There were reports last year, that the pimps and agents involved in the sex trade would click pictures of local Goan women without their knowledge, while in public. Which they would later use to show the tourists as the girls they can hire.
Women and pimps involved mostly come from other states to run operations in Goa. Women trying to escape poverty from the neighbouring states are lured into the trade. It is this select number of people who bring a bad name to Goa. They usually operate under the patronage of the powerful or well connected people.
The menace has increased so much that it is normal to very often read about prostitutions rackets being busted across Goa. The sad part is, even though sex rackets are busted regularly, the activities still keep continuing. As if there is no end to prostitution. But questions do arise; is it possible? That the people caught for involvement in sex trade after getting out of jail resume their activities in the flesh trade. Probably!
There are many ways of soliciting customers; in fact many of these operations are run online as well. Massage parlours are hotspots for such activities, easily destroying the reputation of genuine message centers. But as the saying goes “everything that glitters isn’t gold”. Many times tourists are lured into a trap, where they are beaten and looted.
Goans themselves are fed up and want to get rid of this menace. Such activities affect the tourism industry, as it attracts the wrong crowd to the state. Although there have been many steps undertaken to improve the situation, it is still not enough, the reason being the mentality of people who visit the state. They see Goa as a place where foreign women sun bath naked and sex is as casual as a handshake. This presumption is itself wrong.
Written by Shailesh Shriram Tanpure
