The Hindu : Trafficking in Indian women on the rise

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 20, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Trafficking in Indian women on the rise

By K.P.M. Basheer

KOCHI July 15. A U.S. Government study has found that Indian women are trafficked to the Gulf and the Western countries, mainly for sexual exploitation, in a big way.

``Indian women and children are trafficked to the Middle East and the West for purposes of forced labour and sexual exploitation,'' according to the `Trafficking in Persons Report 2002' produced by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Person of the U.S. State Department.

India and Thailand are reckoned to be having the largest volume of trafficking in persons, mostly women and children, for sexual exploitation.

``India is a country of origin, transit and destination for trafficked persons. Internal trafficking in women and children for purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, bonded labour and indentured servitude is widespread (in India),'' the report says. Many of the children trafficked in or through India are aged below 18.

Investigations and prosecutions of traffickers were rare, the report pointed out, adding that severely back-logged courts and corruption rendered most prosecutorial efforts ineffective. There was evidence of junior law-enforcement officials' involvement in facilitating the movement of trafficking victims and accepting bribes. "During investigations, police frequently do not utilise all provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and as a result may minimise potential criminal penalties against traffickers and brothel owners for exploiting minors.''

The report noted that Nepali and Bangladeshi women were trafficked to India and some of them transited to Pakistan and the West Asian countries. "Nepal is a source of women and girls trafficked primarily to India for purposes of sexual exploitation and bonded labour.'' India's open border with Nepal does not allow for stringent border monitoring. "Pakistan is a country of origin for young boys who are kidnapped or bought and sent to work as camel jockeys in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.''

The report, claimed to be the largest annual study of its kind by any single Government worldwide, presents the trafficking scenario in 89 countries and categorise these countries into three tiers. India, along with 51 others, is placed on Tier Two as it "does not yet fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, is making significant efforts to do so.'' India has "a very very low conviction rate'' of trafficking offenders.

The problem of trafficking has grown enormously over the past few years and every year, according to the International Organisation of Migration, roughly, four million persons worldwide are victimised by traffickers through fraud, coercion and outright kidnapping. Trafficking leaves no nation untouched -- some 50,000 women and children are trafficked to the U.S. every year for sexual exploitation.

A huge majority of the victims are women and children. Traffickers often force them into pornography and prostitution and subject them to terrible mental and physical abuse. The victims are also put at risk from diseases such as AIDS.

Unemployment and poverty are the two major reasons that drive the victims into the traffickers' trap. The traffickers use promises of higher wages and good working conditions in foreign countries to lure people into their traps. Low status of women in some communities contributes to trafficking within the country by not valuing their lives as highly as those of males.

The traffickers often advertise in local newspapers offering good jobs at high pay in cities abroad.

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Trafficking in Indian women on the rise