The Dark Realities of Women Trafficking IV: An Organised Crime Deserving An Organised Response

-By Ad. Nandini Thakkar-Singh

Usually, human trafficking is considered to be a social issue or compared with prostitution, but we fail to perceive it as a chain of crimes. It is run as a means of earning as any other profession. It is an utterly unethical and illegal activity and shifting patterns of trafficking make it more challenging for the agencies that try to deal with it.
It is known that it uses different smokescreens as a disguise, like beauty parlours, spas, massage parlours etc. Decent localities too have such places and new technology like social media or online working have a significant role in it.


Laws and High Court and Supreme Court rulings helped in bridging the gaps, but implementation is still not so effective. Still, the situation is that the crime syndicates work like a well-oiled machinery and the response to it doesn't seem to have similarly spirited.

At the international level ' collective impact strategy ' is adopted, all the components are involved, many aspects are covered. The actions are designed carefully, using the necessary data, building a conducive environment to develop leaders building trust, and changing the course when found essential in the specific situation. It would take time to get the desired effect.

The author described a project dedicated to children. In 2015 a pilot project was run in Nagpur, after a detailed study. Around 400 cases were pending with no single conviction then. A known red-light area had women trafficked mainly from MP and Odisha, and there was just 1 rehabilitation home. So all the stakeholders came together for collective work.

Shelter home, Anti Human Trafficking Unit, District Legal Services Authority, Railway Police, Childline, District Child Protection Officer, NGOs, and volunteers all contributed to the project. The project was named Transforming Exploitation and Saving Through Association. All discuss the cases and try to rehabilitate. From rescue to helping in investigations and trials, support to victims is provided to be able to fearlessly present their plight. Skills training is provided by the expert institutions to enhance sustainable income in future.

Some positive changes can be observed as a result of all these concentrated efforts. The stakeholders are equipped with knowledge and support from each other. Though started by Save The Children India, step by step it is transferred to the District Legal Services Authority, Nagpur. Some changes could be observed in three years.
The Chief Magistrate's Court was designated to conduct the trials.

Entry and exit points of this area came under surveillance.

DSLA lawyers represent victims of Trafficking cases.

6 cases had convictions and there was almost no conviction for a long time. People testified fearlessly.

Many victims showed interest in formal education and appeared for the exams.

Anti-trafficking workshops were conducted.

Bails are not easily granted, the judgement is translated in Marathi for clear understanding and it creates awareness too.

Victims and witnesses get sufficient protection in the court also. A separate room is designated for them.
All meet regularly to discuss and manage the casework.

This supports the collective approach which renders strength to the cause.

The article is supported by data from the Social Security branch in Pune City, it gives a fair idea of the reach and spread of human trafficking.

' People of God ' by prof Shubhangi Tambat

Vaghya-Murali, Jogta-Jogtin, Kadaklakshmi, or Devadasi are described as people of God, but in reality, they lead a distressed life. Believing in some traditions and some kind of superstitions forces them to distance themselves from this kind of life pattern.

The tradition of Devdasi is very old, the girls were offered to God, as he was personified and all the materialistic things were to be made available to Him. Thus tradition to marry the girls to God might have started. They looked after the temple premises, the routine of a temple, and the festivals. Unfortunately, this tradition is followed and many are victims of it. ( Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana)

Soundatti, a town in Karnataka has a temple dedicated to Yallama or Renuka Mata.

The girls are dedicated to the deity mostly at a very young age. Many develop entangled hairlocks mostly due to lack of alertness or cleanliness or neglect and this too becomes a reason to dedicate girls to the goddess. ( Known as Zhulvas too ) This usually lands them into a depressing phase of life along with exploitation. They run into abuse, health problems due to physical contact with many men, no education or skills to earn a livelihood and usually no respect in any society. Their children have no right of inheritance, nor can they use their father's name.

Many renowned writers focused on the problem, now the Devadasi Prevention Act was passed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh ( 1984,1988 respectively) as a consequence of the awareness. Many more effects are seen besides this.

Many worked throughout their life for them. (Bhimrao gasti is an example) Of course, the tradition is far from being abolished. The study undertaken by the Human Rights Commission reported the number as 3,50,000 devadasis in 2013.

Unfortunately, 88% of girls enter into this due to tradition, close relatives exert pressure, ( the percentage is as high as 45) , mothers have been found to have forced girls, some influential people are responsible for pushing girls and mostly the girls are dedicated before attaining the age of 6. ( The age when the child is unable to either understand or to resist)

These are some unnerving facts.