INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human trafficking and sexual assault are both traumatic crimes, premised upon the power, control, abuse, and exploitation of another human being.

Sexual harassment which may include requests for sexual favors and obscene, suggestive language, is not only unlawful in its own right; it also can lead to sexual assault. Sexual assault can be verbal, visual, physical, or anything that forces a person to be subjected to or engage in unwanted sexual contact. Examples of this include: inappropriate touching, (attempted/) rape, child molestation and abuse, incest, voyeurism, exhibitionism, or fondling.

 

One of 3 women worldwide are physically, sexually or otherwise abused during their lifetime.

This also includes:

• Rape
• Sexual Slavery
• Demand for Virgin Children, due to AIDS
• Sex for Grades, Promotions and for other excuses ( School, College, University and in work place)
• Forced marriages
• Sexual abuse by intimate partners

Sexual abuse is used in order to humiliate, punish and control/blackmail women and their communities.

 

HOW TO STOP SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RESTORE THE DIGNITY OF A SURVIVER

•  Accessible legal remedies, atrict implementations of law and less time frame for the Judgment
• Community friendly Police Force with round the clock telephone support mechanism
• Behavioral change among the Police Force for the victim to approach, and to report with confidence
• Exclusive victim centered counseling centers with round the clock telephone helpline, to deal with the victim and affected family in a rights based, non-judgemental service models
• Introduction of compulsory self defense skills in all the Schools, also for adolescent girls at the rural and urban slums.

 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING, FACTS

Human Trafficking is a modern day Slavery.

Human trafficking is a problem all over the world, it is all around us.

It is the second largest fast growing industry after the drug and weapons trading in the world.

Human trafficking is a crime that creates 4 to 27 million victims per year.

8 Million people are trafficked across International borders every year out of which 80% victims moved across nations are women and girls.

95% of victims experienced physical or sexual violence during trafficking.

 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: FACTS OF INDIA

The sex trafficking industry in India generates roughly $9 billion. “The total Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) industry in the country generates revenues amounting to $30-343 billion per year”, states Global March Against Child Labor's report Economics Behind Forced Labor Trafficking.

West Bengal tops this list with 660 reported cases of human trafficking in 2013, according to NCRB data.

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are major source states while Maharashtra, Delhi and Goa are the major destination states. Factors that make a state a source state – places of origin of the victim – include low levels of education (71% of trafficked victims surveyed by the National Human Rights Commission were illiterate), poverty (nearly 50% had a family income of less than Rs.66 per day), and natural disasters or events known as trigger events.

 

WHAT CAUSES HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

• Easy profits made from exploitation
• Growing deprivation and marginalization of the poor
• Poverty and lack of opportunities
• Discrimination against women
• Demand for virgin Children and it has increased due to HIV/AIDS.
• Generation of Debt, debt bondage continues for generation.
• A lack of preventive measures and information about the realities and dangers of trafficking.
• Poor implementation of existing law (Culprit vs victims)
• Social customs (Parents/Marriage/Society)

In 2006 there were only 5,808 prosecutions and 3,160 conviction through out the world, this means that every 800 people trafficked only one person was convicted.

 

MODES OF OPERANDI IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING

• Brokers poses as boyfriends or tricks into false Marriages or tricks into visiting a friend in City/State/country
• Phone Calls/social media false friendship
• Making false friendship at Bus Station/Bus stops, Railway Station, Cinema Theaters, Parks, Hostels, Streets, and etc.
• Lured with promise of good opportunities
• Some abducted, others sold by family members (husband/parents)

 

THE 3 PHASES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

1.TRANSIT PHASE

• Dangers during illegal frontier crossing
• Dangers from unsafe transport
• Violence from police or other interceptors
• Loss of identity of trained to claim a false name

2.EXPLOITATION PHASE

• coercion to make victims obey order, torture
• Occupational diseases
• Specific effects of commercial sexual exploitation
• Effects of sexual abuse/violance and unprotected sex
• Victims in Brothel – possible effects of drugs, alcohol and another substance misuse
• Sexually transmitted infections including AIDS
• Unwanted pregnancy/Motherhood
• Early motherhood.
• Behavioral effects of sexual abuse

 

3.RECOVERY AND REINTEGRATION PHASE

• Ill treatment in police custody or the residential homes
• Risk associated with unprepared deportation
• Threats or actual violence from trafficker against the victim or relatives or service providers
• Stigma of sexual exploitation of known/revealed.
• Mocked by home town people for returning home empty handed, resulting in low self esteem

Human trafficking is often difficult to notice.

Traffickers keep their victim secured from the outside.

Traffickers force their victim to look happy and tell them what to say.

Victims do not identify themselves due to fear and shame.

Many people do not know about human trafficking and do not report it even though it is happening in their community.

 

TRAFFICKED VICTIMS: UNDERSTANDING MINDSETS

• Unaware what is being done to them is a crime
• Do not consider themselves victims
• Blame themselves for their situations
• Develop loyalties, positive feelings towards traffickers as coping mechanism
• Try to protect traffickers from authorities
• Fear for safety of family in home town
• Fear, distrust health care providers, government, police etc.

 

MISCONCEPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING

• All the Girls/women found in sex industry are willing participants
• Enter willingly
• All participants involved in human trafficking are criminals
• All the participants are here to make easy money and to enjoy their sexual lust.

 

HOW TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human Trafficking is an Industry that relies on money. If people stopped purchasing services related to Human Trafficking industry would shrink until it did not exist.

• Awareness creation among the consumers about human trafficking then they would think twice before spending their money on it
• Severe punishment to the traffickers
• Creating awareness about Human Trafficking, its realities and dangers; among the Students at the School level in rural and urban slums.
• Effective Counseling Centers
• Bringing behavioral change among the Police force for the Victims/public to report the incidences
• Revision in existing rehabilitation concepts (Ujwala)

 

VICTIM'S NEEDS

INSTITUTIONAL CARE

• Mental health and de-addiction/substance abuse Assistance (counseling)
• Income Assistance (cash and living assistance)
• Immediate Assistance (housing, food, medical , safety and security and language interpretation and legal services)

COMMUNITY BASED CARE

• Moral Support for re-integration (family)
• Assessment of one’s interest and facilitating the victims in achieving the aimed ones

 

Knowing the facts can make a lasting difference.

 

What if you know one of these victims, it could be your daughter/wife/mother/sister/neighbour…???

It can happen to anyone…

All the people who are trafficked into different States, Nations whose families are suffering because they do not know where their son/daughter is ..?

 

It is within our power to rescue these victims and restore their dignity…