``Now the plot has to change. Prostitution is like any other work and we demand workers' rights. That is why we've joined our hands to form the DMSC and make ourselves heard,'' says Geeta Dey, who has come to Delhi along with seven other didis to participate in the Guria Mahotsava, a festival of song and dance by prostitutes and their children.

Sonagachi needs no introduction. With as many as 5,000 brothel-based sex workers and 15,000 itinerant sex workers (or floaters, as they are called), it is the largest red light area of India. ``For years, the bhadralok have called us randis (whores) and shooed us away from their shops and their banks. But, what is our fault? Where do we buy our goods from and deposit our money?'' asks 40-year-old Shankari Paul.

``There is so much of exploitation in the trade. We suffer in the hands of just about anyone. If one client fetches a prostitute Rs 100, half of the amount goes into the pocket of the madame. From the remaining Rs 50, the same madame charges Rs 20 for food and the prostitute is left with just Rs 30. And out of this remaining amount, we are expected to fulfill our daily needs such as medicines, toiletries and so on. We are hardly left with anything in the end,'' says Dey.

So they set up a co-operative bank. Says Promilla proudly, ``Our bank is called Usha Co-operative and Multi-purpose Stores Ltd. It was set up in 1995 after fighting a long battle with the government which refused to accept our professional status. And now we have two schemes going for our 500-odd clients.'' One of the schemes being the saving scheme and other a `three-fund' or a recurring account with the facility of loans.

However, she says that it will take some time before they can turn their bank into a profitable venture and get more interest. Still, with their money safe, the DMSC is now set to salvage their shattered egos. Inspired by an NGO which started an STD/HIV Intervention Programme, the DMSC members, also known as the peer educators, set about starting a number of welfare programmes. ``We realised that when we are strong and united, people treat us slightly better. Even the police, which treats us like dirt now, are a little careful in trading insults when we tell them we are from the DMSC,'' says Paul.

To begin with, the DMSC is very concerned about the health of their peers and has gone out in a big way to educate others about AIDS. According to Dey, several personal clinics have been set in the red light areas of Calcutta and the DMSC has started a special helpline for AIDS patients. ``For one, we don't treat our patient like outcasts. We take proper care of the patients and provide counselling alongside. Moreover, it is never forced counselling,'' says Dey. She explains that anyone is free to call them and take counselling over the phone. The patient can visit them once he/she is comfortable talking to the counsellor. ``And even though we are a chargeable helpline, the response we are getting is phenomenal,'' she says proudly.

This aside, the DMSC has taken to aggressive propagation of safe-sex through the use of condoms amongst their peers. And the marketing is handled by their special marketing team -- Basanti Sena. ``Our Basanti Sena is not only more effective in interacting with the peers, but is required to generate the financial resources which would be required by us to fall back on during financial crisis,'' says Promilla. And the rate of sale of condoms according to her has increased from two per cent to 80 per cent among the prostitutes in the past two years.

But most important, Dey insists, is the DMSC's demand to be allowed to form a board whereby its members can decide if a girl be allowed to enter this trade. ``Why should an innocent girl be dragged into this profession, for no fault of hers? Through this board we wish put a stop to the entry of the minor girls. We should be allowed to investigate on our own and if need be given the powers of restoration to the girl's family.'' And once this settled, the next step would be to work on the old-age schemes. Says Promilla, ``We are just left to die an anonymous death. After all who do we have to support us in those days''.