In the year 2013, the United Nations designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness, encourage vigilance and gain support for prevention of human trafficking. The UN has initiated the “Blue Heart Campaign” against Human Trafficking, which aims to support and strengthen the engagement and the participation of the public. The logo in the shape of a blue heart stands for the sorrow of the victims and the coldness of the offenders.
Today, there are millions of people whose liberty, dignity and essential human rights have been stolen. They are coerced into sexual exploitation, forced labor, domestic servitude that exploits women, children and men through human trafficking. Human trafficking is therefore a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights anda multi-faceted threat.The victims end devastated, demoralized and defeated. Those that suffer physical, emotional abuse and rape may find it difficult to live normal lives again. Those that are threatened, live in constant fear and end up being psychologically compromised. Children are subjected to involuntary servitude as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, agricultural workers and sometimes even sexually abused by their owners. There have been cases of children and youths being trafficked to different states, lured with the prospect of better education, lucrative jobs and other opportunities, but ending up in commercial sexual exploitation, or working in various factories and mines under deplorable conditions, or in other vulnerable conditions. No crime can be more deplorable than this.
According to a report in 2016 by the DNA (Daily News and Analysis), there was a whopping 250% jump in human trafficking cases in the north-eastern states as compared to 2015. Out of 1,539 human trafficking cases registered in 2015, as many as 1,494 were from Assam, 20 from Meghalaya, 16 from Tripura, 6 from Nagaland and 3 from Arunachal Pradesh.
A case of human trafficking registered at Sakhi- One Stop Centre- Nagaland is mentioned below:
On 3rd June 2017, a 17 year old named Pooja (name changed) was found missing in Dimapur. In the evening, she rang up and informed her parents that she had gone to Guwahati with her friend after which her phone remained switched off. However, Pooja’s parents approached One Stop Centre (OSC) Dimapur requesting help and assistance. Hence, OSC along with Women Police Station rescued Pooja and handed her over to her parents on 9th June, 2017. After Pooja was rescued, she disclosed that she was deceived by Shuraj (name changed) and became his victim. Shuraj had promised her a job in his factory in Kolkata. OSC facilitated and assisted the Police in the recovery process of Pooja. Besides, OSC also provided psycho-social support to Pooja and her parents during an intervention process and after her rescue.
In the context of Nagaland, due to limited job opportunities, lack of educational qualification, adolescent and youth from Nagaland are easily tempted for well-paid jobs and better opportunities outside the State and abroad. They have been tricked into cities with rich promises, and ended up in flesh trade. On 21stMarch, 2017 two girls from Nagaland who had become victims of human trafficking, were rescued by Women Police Station, Dimapur and from Pune and reunited with their respective families after completion of necessary repatriation processes. Based on the survivors’ statements, the traffickers targeted by luring them with prospective jobs and supplied them to the source through chains of traffickers.
Putting special emphasis on the issue of human trafficking, the former Union Cabinet Minister for Women& Child Development, Government of India, Smt. Maneka Gandhi passed “The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill”on 26th July, 2018 in the LokSabha, to protect and provide for the millions who have suffered silently for years. The legislation proposed the Bill to create institutional mechanism at district, state and central levels. It calls for punishment ranging from 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine not less than Rs. 1,00,000/- (The Indian Express, 27th July, 2018).
Hesitation to report cases remains one of the major challenges in addressing the issue of violence in our society. One must not remain silent for the cycle to continue.If you are victims/ survivors of human trafficking or gender-based violence, reach out to a trusted friend by dialling 181/ 9485239098, the Women Helpline, Nagaland. We are available 24x7 to help and support women who are affected by violence or in distress. Women Helpline empowers women by providing information on government related schemes and programmes, rights and legal entitlements for women. You can also approach the Sakhi-One Stop Centres established in all districts.
To commemorate the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the campaign in Nagaland will highlight awareness, accentuating on the theme #YouCanFreeMe. Let us join hands together by taking this crime seriously, educate ourselves and help others become aware of the problem. This piece is being written to call for a joint effort in bringing an end to this disgraceful crime.
