Human trafficking is just another name for modern-day slavery, wherein the victims involved are forced, coerced and deceived into labour and sexual exploitation.
The figures are scary. Almost 6, 00,000 to 8, 00,000 women and children are annually trafficked across national borders. This does not account for the numbers that are trafficked within their own countries.
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Most human trafficking victims are actually duped into the trade by the false promises made regarding job opportunities. Many women from third world countries are lured into this trade with the bait of false marriages. Many of the victims are forced either directly with violence or indirectly with psychological blackmail into the trade.
Once they enter the countries of trade their passports are confiscated and with no money, no shelter, and no one to turn to they are left at the mercy of those who trade in human flesh.
Image Source: ywamcheb.org
Human trafficking is a multi-faceted threat. It robs people of their right of freedom. It is inhuman .The victims end devastated, demoralized and defeated. Those that suffer physical and emotional abuse and rape may never be able to live normal lives again. Those that are threatened live in constant fear and end being psychologically compromised.
The impact of human trafficking is chilling; and although, the brunt of it is faced by the victims, the nation suffers as a whole. Safety and security, the privileges of living in a free country are compromised.
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India shows alarming rates of human trafficking. With an estimated 400 million children between 0 and 18 years, the country’s per capita income remaining low and 26 percent of the population living below the poverty line.
India has become a source, destination and transit country for men, woman, and children trafficked for forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation. India has become a transit hub for human trafficking with estimated millions, victim to human trafficking.
Trafficking in India is often disguised as migration, commercial sex or disgustingly even marriage. It is estimated that ninety percent of the India’s sex trafficking is internal. Women and girls are trafficked internally for commercial sex.
Children are subject to involuntary servitude as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, agricultural workers and many times they are also sexually abused by their owners. No crime can be worse than this.
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The child is mentally handicapped for the rest of his or her life. Hand embroidery factories mostly employ boys below the age of twelve.
The most beautiful carpets and hand embroidered designer gowns are often works of art created by victims of human trafficking. Girls are also trafficked from the neighboring countries like Bangladesh, and Nepal into India.
Many help lines like Child line have been set up to reach out especially to the street children, child labourers, and abused children.
Centres like Aakanksha help in rehabilitating the victims. Don Bosco National Forum has launched a website which is closely monitored by child welfare organizations in all cities of the country and a search for the child is started immediately after a complaint is registered.
The governments of some cities in India like Maharashstra have banned dance bars. However so much more needs to be done, yet. The problems must be tackled at grass roots. Also change must start with the people for the people.
The people must become the eyes and the arms of the government and make this crusade their own cause. Then and only then will we see an end to human trafficking.