Kerala High Court rules brothel clients aren’t just customers but culprits inducing prostitution. Society’s hypocrisy gets a courtroom reality check.
“Customer is God”? Not Anymore.
For years, we’ve been told “Customer is King.” Well, Kerala High Court just stripped that crown and said, “Sit down, sire. You’re not a king. You’re an accused.”
In a ruling that feels like a slap of reality, Justice VG Arun of the Kerala High Court has clarified that people availing services in brothels are not “customers” but active participants in exploitation. In plain English: if you thought visiting a brothel was just “shopping for services,” surprise — you just signed up for a starring role in the ITP Act (1956) case file.
(Linking early for flavor: check Kerala High Court rulings where this clarity comes from.)
Society’s Selective Morality
India has always had this talent: public outrage about sex workers, but a complete blind spot about who’s knocking on the brothel doors. We gossip about “red light areas” but never about the people queuing outside them. Society loves to shame women trapped in the trade while ignoring the very “respectable men” who created the demand in the first place.
The Court basically said: enough of this drama. You can’t call someone a “customer” if what you’re buying is another human being’s exploitation. And no, this isn’t your weekly Amazon delivery.
The Law Drops the Mic
Justice VG Arun explained why “customer” is the wrong word:
- Buying shampoo? Customer.
- Ordering biryani? Customer.
- Paying a trafficked woman under duress? Not a customer. You’re part of the problem.
Section 5(1)(d) of the ITP Act criminalises inducing someone into prostitution. The Court said payment isn’t a neutral transaction — it’s literally the fuel that keeps exploitation running. Without “customers,” the brothel doesn’t exist. Simple math.
So next time someone says, “I was just availing a service,” they might as well add, “And I was also auditioning for a court date.”
The Hypocrisy Olympics
This is where satire writes itself. Indian society loves to pretend prostitution is both “illegal” and “everywhere.” It’s like a ghost story: everyone swears they’ve never seen it, but everyone knows it haunts the neighborhood.
Politicians preach morality on stage while scandals keep leaking like WhatsApp forwards. Religious leaders sermonize purity but end up in sting operations. And ordinary “family men” suddenly become experts in Google Maps when locating “massage parlors.”
Now the Kerala HC has reminded everyone: you can’t clap with one hand. If you condemn prostitution, you can’t conveniently forget the men driving it.
A Courtroom Roast
The case itself is straight out of courtroom drama with dark comedy:
- Police raid in 2021.
- Found men with women in compromising positions (you don’t need Netflix for this suspense).
- Defendants argued: “We’re just customers.”
- Court: “Sir, this isn’t Big Bazaar.”
Justice Arun even underlined that sex workers are not commodities. They’re often victims of trafficking and coercion. So to call yourself a “customer” is like saying you’re “just sampling human misery.”
But Wait, the Loophole Lawyers Arrive
The petitioner’s argument: “Look, I didn’t run the brothel, I didn’t recruit anyone, I was just… enjoying the service.”
Ah, the classic Indian defense: “Bhai, main toh sirf wahan tha.” Translation: I was just present, not guilty.
But the Court wasn’t buying it. Presence + payment = prosecution. Period. If intent was to buy services, then congratulations, you’re not a casual bystander. You’re Exhibit A.
Why This Matters (Beyond the Roast)
Jokes aside, this ruling has weight. It reframes the entire narrative around prostitution:
- No more blaming just the women.
- Focus shifts to the demand side.
- Customers, often shielded by respectability, are dragged under the spotlight.
This is crucial for fighting trafficking. By criminalising the “demand,” the system is finally recognising where the cycle begins.
For context, even Supreme Court of India has repeatedly emphasised protecting sex workers’ dignity. This Kerala HC ruling takes that forward by holding “buyers” accountable.
The Bigger Irony
In India, we treat cinema halls more strictly than brothels. Ever noticed how police raids on sex work barely make headlines, but raids on “illegal screenings” are national news? One gets a moral sermon, the other gets memes.
And here’s society’s favorite twist: the same people moral-policing films like “The Kerala Story” often end up in the “customer” list of a brothel raid. Bollywood could never write satire this sharp.
So yes, if you were thinking of casually defending yourself with “But I was just a customer!” — here’s the new motto:
In brothels, the bill isn’t just financial. It’s legal.
What do you think — will this ruling finally change society’s two-faced approach to prostitution, or will the hypocrisy continue underground? Drop your thoughts, share this roast with your “moral guardian” friends, and let’s have a conversation that’s long overdue.
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