Screaming Voices

Human trafficking impedes socio-economic development, threatens national, regional and international security, and most importantly poses severe threats to the security of individuals. Human trafficking causes various socio-economic problems through, for instance, increasing organized criminal activities, contributing to a fragile socio-economic structure by spreading corruption and infectious disease like HIV/AIDS, and producing violence and greed in the society that harms both states and their citizens.. In South Asia, both cross-border and internal trafficking remain persistent problems. Available estimates reveal that South Asia is the home to the second largest number of internationally trafficked persons where around 150,000 people are trafficked annually.

Historically the movement of people within the countries of the region has been prevalent. While on the move, people may become more vulnerable to exploitation in several forms. Trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation is considered as the most virulent form in South Asia. As countries in South Asia are experiencing rapid changes in economic, political, demographic and labour trends as an outcome of globalisation, increasing demand for cheap labour and heavy population growth in the region encourages migration whether legal or illegal. The movement of young girls and women from Bangladesh and Nepal into Indian brothels is common. There is further movement of these women and girls to the Middle East as well as other destinations. At times of hardship, this starts out as illegal migration and ends up as trafficking. Such migration occurs in the backdrop of supply and demand in the sending and receiving countries. The supply side is associated with structural inequality, poverty, illiteracy and lack of opportunities for livelihood, whereas the demand rises from the need of cheap labor in the destination. Usually people from the poorer countries like Bangladesh and Nepal are at risk of exploitation and are trafficked to the neighbouring country like India. An assessment study on sexually exploited children and youth by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) showed that in South Asia young girls from certain rural areas of Bangladesh, India and Nepal are trafficked for marriage and then sold into prostitution.

Sex trafficking

in south asia

with a special focus on india

Rekha Pande

Kalpaz

Price : `900     

Pages : 250

Trafficking is a multi-dimensional problem encompassing a whole range of economic, social and cultural issues which are varied and highly complex. Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking not only South Asia. Poverty and deprivation, secondary status accorded to women in society, prejudice against the girl child, weakening of the family structure, changing public attitude towards sex and mortality, urbanisation, migration and the growing consumerism are some of the factors that have contributed to trafficking in South Asia.

It is this grave issue polluting our society which compelled author Rekha Pande to pen a book titled Sex Trafficking in South Asia:  With a Special Focus on India. This book examines this issue from a gender perspective and analyses three agents related with this issue namely the victims, the police, the Non-government Organisations and Community Based Organisation. The book is an useful source for academicians, activists, students and those interested in social, political and economic issues related with violence against women.

by Nilabh Krishna