In 1998, it was reported that in India, along with Thailand and the Philippines, there were 1.3 million children in sex trade centers. The local trend was for these children, from poor families, were being trafficked into wealthy families. One of the most depressing facts of human trafficking in India is that these young girls are “sold by their ignorant, poor parents or hoodwinked into fraudulent marriages or promised employment in towns, these vulnerable, unsuspecting girls are lured out of their remote hilly homes and deprived lives, only to find themselves in Hindustan's depressingly dingy brothels”[1]. This astonishing finding, that parents are actually selling their daughters into this life, is appalling.
Not only is human trafficking cruel, and deprives women and young girls of a life of their own, it also severely risks their health. In 1996, it was reported that more than half of Mumbai’s 100,000 prostitutes are HIV positive[2]. With this being such a large portion of the population, and something that is continuously growing as increasingly more people are being infected as the prostitution level and activity remains high, it is surprising to find information claiming that the government is not willing to help these women. One magazine published that with the high numbers of HIV and AID infected individuals, a corrupt official believed that it will help decrease the vastly over populated underclass[3]. Similarly, there have been cases where government hospitals have refused to treat prostitutes who are HIV positive or infected with AIDS[4]. These corrupt individuals are clearly defying any sort of basic human rights norms by refusing medical treatment to those in needs. It is difficult to specifically define what basic human rights includes, however, I believe that the right to food, water, shelter and health should be included in human rights. If someone is suffering, and requires medical attention, they should not be turned away due to personal discriminations against a certain class. These women in India who are battling for their lives in a dangerous lifestyle forced upon them, require help and assistance from the government. By not helping, the government is, allowing this behavior to continue.
Sex trade is growing in India, and it is beginning to become very popular to pedophiles all over the world, and especially the United States and Europe. With this issue expanding into a global issue, the Indian government needs to understand the consequences of their actions, or lack there of. Pedophilic men who seek cheap sex, and specifically sex from underage girls, are being drawn to India because of the relaxed laws and abundant child prostitutes[5]. This is increasing the spread of AIDS and HIV all over the world, and making the sex trade in India more powerful because of the money these tourist bring with them and are willing to spend. This is quickly moving from a local issue to a global issue that will effect the lives of many innocent people.
Every year, between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepalese girls, as young as 9 years old, are trafficked over the border into Indian cities[6]. How can a government sit around and ignore such an obvious violation of human rights taking place? This is not a big secret that these abductors are buying and selling young women into a life of filth and sex, subjugating them even further to the hands of men. As Wadhwa points out, trafficking women into India from Nepal is an easy job due to the fact the border patrol are easily paid off by the pimps. As India is growing to be one of the most powerful economic societies in our world, I believe they need to take a step back and look at the troubling development of human trafficking that is still going on in their country. As they strive to pass up China economically, India’s government needs to start from the bottom up in order to gain respect and trust from other countries. Also, the United States needs to see this corruptness that is going on in India rather than turning a blind eye and continuing to trade and do business with India. Only until outside, powerful pressures, such as media and governmental policies from influencing countries, are put on India to control their country and the corruptness within will we begin to see change being made.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I believe the picture below only requires three. The words on this picture, “not for sale”, are not only seen in print, but can also be read in the eyes of the little girl portrayed in the picture. The upward, for longing gaze of the young child, resonates in every viewer’s hearts and minds. Imagining children as young as this being bought and sold into slavery and sexual abuse is gut wrenching. Pictures like this truly put into perspective the atrocity occurring in India.
http://skirtingthelimits.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/organization-profile-afesip-cambodia-acting-for-women-in-distressing-situations/
[1] Soma Wadhwa. "For Sale: Childhood." Outlook India. 23 Feb. 1998. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. <http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?205123>.
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