Prakash Kamat
Panaji, September 19- At a two day “Source-Destination Consultation,to Combat Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Goa,”held here earlier this week,participants lamented that while rafficking happens across State and national borders involving a large organised network,often local pimps are arrested with no effective impact on this growing menace.
Ms Juliana Lohar, coordinator of ARZ, host non governmental organisation(NGO)of the consultative summed up the challenges faced and solutions proposed to curb human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
A large number of stakeholders from main source States of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi and source countries if Nepal and Bangladesh participated in the Consultative held at InternatiknalnCentre Goa near Panaji.
1. Trafficking happens across State and national borders involving a large organised network which is highly dependent on the earnings of the victims. The modus operandi of the traffickers is a problem. The anonymity of traffickers, where much of the trafficking is across States and is through online and social media, makes it difficult to identify and apprehend the main perpetrators. Whereas it is only the local pimps who get arrested!
There is a need to develop a network among the various stakeholders fighting to curb human trafficking and for them to work in a coordinated and collaborative way, sharing data, following agreed protocols, researching the modus operandi and trying to fill data gaps.
2. Once the women are released from the State Protection Homes(SPT), it is difficult to follow up with them to prevent their retrafficking.
The SPH should maintain contacts of the family members. Efforts need to be taken by the SPH as well as the NGOs in the source states so that they can follow up with the victims.
When passing an order,a Sub-Divisional Magistrate(SDM) can request an agency in the source State to oversee the victims' wellbeing in the home State and maintain contact with them.
3. Lack of follow up with the women poses difficulties in getting in touch with them when they are needed to depose as witnesses in court against the traffickers, thereby making prosecution extremely difficult.
Apart from the solutions in the point above, when passing an order the SDM can request an agency in the source State to oversee the victims' wellbeing in the home State and maintain contact with them.
The Investigating Officer should also retain the contacts of the family members prior to the release of the victim from the SPH. Video conferencing could be promoted where possible so that victims do not need to travel across states or countries to depose as witnesses.
4. There is a dearth of services in the home States so whatever psychosocial services are initiated in the SPH cannot be followed through after the women are released.
There needs to be capacity development of NGOs in the main source States on the provision of psychosocial services. More NGOs also need to be identified so that the coverage areas are increased.
5. Lack of simultaneous intervention with the women at the SPH and with their families at home results in the women going back to the same situation/ environment which led to their trafficking in the first place.
Once the victim is rescued and lodged in the SPH, she is provided psychosocial services and possible skill training. It would be extremely beneficial if an NGO in their source States can work with her family providing both psychosocial support and economic alternatives so that she can return to a more supportive environment. This would prevent her retrafficking.
6. Inadequate protection of anonymity of the women in their homes during home visits by the police or NGOs leads to their families and neighborhoods getting to know that they were involved in prostitution. They are ,therefore,either ostracised and/or unable to stay with their families.(eom)
Panaji, September 19- At a two day “Source-Destination Consultation,to Combat Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Goa,”held here earlier this week,participants lamented that while rafficking happens across State and national borders involving a large organised network,often local pimps are arrested with no effective impact on this growing menace.
Ms Juliana Lohar, coordinator of ARZ, host non governmental organisation(NGO)of the consultative summed up the challenges faced and solutions proposed to curb human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
A large number of stakeholders from main source States of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi and source countries if Nepal and Bangladesh participated in the Consultative held at InternatiknalnCentre Goa near Panaji.
1. Trafficking happens across State and national borders involving a large organised network which is highly dependent on the earnings of the victims. The modus operandi of the traffickers is a problem. The anonymity of traffickers, where much of the trafficking is across States and is through online and social media, makes it difficult to identify and apprehend the main perpetrators. Whereas it is only the local pimps who get arrested!
There is a need to develop a network among the various stakeholders fighting to curb human trafficking and for them to work in a coordinated and collaborative way, sharing data, following agreed protocols, researching the modus operandi and trying to fill data gaps.
2. Once the women are released from the State Protection Homes(SPT), it is difficult to follow up with them to prevent their retrafficking.
The SPH should maintain contacts of the family members. Efforts need to be taken by the SPH as well as the NGOs in the source states so that they can follow up with the victims.
When passing an order,a Sub-Divisional Magistrate(SDM) can request an agency in the source State to oversee the victims' wellbeing in the home State and maintain contact with them.
3. Lack of follow up with the women poses difficulties in getting in touch with them when they are needed to depose as witnesses in court against the traffickers, thereby making prosecution extremely difficult.
Apart from the solutions in the point above, when passing an order the SDM can request an agency in the source State to oversee the victims' wellbeing in the home State and maintain contact with them.
The Investigating Officer should also retain the contacts of the family members prior to the release of the victim from the SPH. Video conferencing could be promoted where possible so that victims do not need to travel across states or countries to depose as witnesses.
4. There is a dearth of services in the home States so whatever psychosocial services are initiated in the SPH cannot be followed through after the women are released.
There needs to be capacity development of NGOs in the main source States on the provision of psychosocial services. More NGOs also need to be identified so that the coverage areas are increased.
5. Lack of simultaneous intervention with the women at the SPH and with their families at home results in the women going back to the same situation/ environment which led to their trafficking in the first place.
Once the victim is rescued and lodged in the SPH, she is provided psychosocial services and possible skill training. It would be extremely beneficial if an NGO in their source States can work with her family providing both psychosocial support and economic alternatives so that she can return to a more supportive environment. This would prevent her retrafficking.
6. Inadequate protection of anonymity of the women in their homes during home visits by the police or NGOs leads to their families and neighborhoods getting to know that they were involved in prostitution. They are ,therefore,either ostracised and/or unable to stay with their families.(eom)
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