Human trafficking is unfortunately not a new thing and has been happening all over the county and across the world. Goa is not new to this and there were many cases in the past that have come into light wherein the girls from neighbouring states have been brought here on the pretext of being given jobs and pushed into the flesh trading business.
The matter of human trafficking came into light when the police rescued a minor girl from Dhenkanal, who was allegedly sold off for Rs 50,000 in Goa, was rescued from Colva area of Goa by Gondia police Sunday.
It is not a new thing that crimes against women exist around the globe. Women have to face issues like sexual harassment, domestic violence, and even human trafficking. There is no escaping when it comes to matters of safety of women, yet it is unfortunate that this subject is dealt in such a light manner.
India especially has been a lot unsafe lately, due to rising crimes in the metropolitan cities. It is shocking to learn that the safest state in the country, Goa has been having its own share of crimes against women.
According to Goa Prism, Goa is increasingly witnessing crimes against women and children in the name of human trafficking. The safest state in the country does not feel safe anymore. Apart from drugs and alcohol, human trafficking is causing major concern to the safety of the tourists as well as the host communities in this state.
According to statistics, a total of 1,864 crimes have been reported against women and 1, 194 crimes against children from past five years in Goa. Girls from across the country and as well as abroad are trafficked under false job promises and good payment to lure girls into taking up prostitution. They are tortured and mercilessly beaten up if they refuse to work.
NGOs like Arz have been making efforts to rescue girls from this vicious circle but many of these rackets are often undetected and go unnoticed. The girls under these trafficking often belong from North India and have the poor background. Their parents could hardly earn a living and often resort to selling their child to rich individuals, who use them as servants or sex slaves. It is a very disappointing sight to see young girls of such tender age being given harsh treatments.
One such brutal incident has come to light, wherein a minor girl was rescued from Colva area of Goa by Gondia police Sunday. According to sources, she belonged to Dhenkanal and was allegedly sold for an amount of 50,000 in Goa.
The 10-year-old girl was sold to a hotel owned by her father. The father, who was serving his time in jail on account of killing the victim’s mother, has been working in the hotel and the owner’s house. The girl was sold to the owner more than a one-and-a-half year back and was since then working there.
According to Orissa Post, while her father is serving in jail after killing her mother, her grandfather was aware of it, Gondia IIC Nirupama Jena said. A four-member team of the district police, who had left for Goa January 9, rescued here. The girl will be brought back and produced before the Child Welfare Committee, reports said.
The matter came to light after the district Child Welfare Committee received a complaint in this regard December 29. Later, CWC chairman Pratap Kumar Acharya had lodged a complaint with collector and superintendent of police to rescue the girl, belonging to Dakshinapasi village of Gondia block.
The father of the girl had killed her mother three years ago and was behind the bars. The girl has three siblings — two brothers and one sister. A relative of her, with the help of middlemen, took her to Goa and sold her. The siblings were told that she was safe and is earning, but due to the failure of getting in contact with the girl for almost one and a half year, the relative resorted to CWC’s intervention.
The locals speaking on this incident said: “The administration is supposed to take care of the four children who are virtually orphaned and vulnerable too after the death of their mother and the arrest of their father.”
It is completely outraging to see minor girls being subjected to such treatments and sold for money. What is more outraging is to learn that women are still treated as a commodity and are sold for pleasure. Incidents like these, makes one wonder that humanity has reached its end and brutality against women and children shows that morality could not sink any lower. But who is to blame for this? People are quick to point their finger to the administrative units but what we fail to understand that the real culprits are the buyers of this flesh trade. It is of utmost shame that people buy children to work for them and fill their childhood with horrors instead of memories. The Government has to take up a measure to punish these culprits with severity.
