Human Trafficking Survivors shared Finding from a Survey conducted on the Situational Assessment of Rescue, Rehabilitation and Reintegration

~59% of the Child survivors were trafficked by known person and 86% of the survivors were forced into sex as soon as they were trafficked~ 

Missing children in India is among the most serious issues in child protection. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) notes that 59,262 children went missing in India in 2020. With 48,972 children remaining untraced from the previous years, the total number of missing children went up to 1, 08,234. Human trafficking, especially targeting children has worsened due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Shuttered schools and jobless households have conspired to increase the risks to children and are unknowingly pushing children into the trap of traffickers. A significant lack of reliable data on trafficking in India makes it difficult to create informed programming or push for policy and systems change.

World Vision India’s Anti-trafficking project conducted a survey with 80 child survivors of trafficking who were trafficked from the state of West Bengal and rescued under difficult circumstances and various places across the country.  Survivor champions from the project Survivor’s Network spearheaded and conducted interviews to collect the data and shared the finding during a program organised recently at Kolkata. The situational assessment survey focused on three aspects – examine patterns of abuse of child survivors of trafficking for sexual exploitation; analyze the challenges service providers face in assisting children survivors and assess prospects for integration of child survivors into the wider society.

Some of the major findings:

* Almost half of the children were trafficked before the age of 15 (50%) and 44% of the survivors were trafficked before they turned 18 years of age. Rest of the 5% were above 18 years of age (Age 20-24 years category)

* 59% of the Child survivors were trafficked by a person they knew before.

* 78% of the children were trafficked in the pretext of job offers or for a lucrative city life and the rest of the 22% of the survivors were given false marriage promises.

* 86% of the survivors were forced into sex as soon as they were trafficked 

*73% of the survivors mentioned that they were locked in private rooms of apartment complexes and/or hotels before they were rescued.

* 44% of the survivors also mentioned that they were forcibly administered drugs before they were rescued.

*Post rescue 99% of the survivors were taken to police stations and 53% of the child survivors also mentioned that their identity was revealed to public/media.

*Post rescue 35% of the child survivors were detained in the police stations for more than 24 hours.

*Only 15% of the survivors mentioned that they were provided with proper food and water at the police station. Rest of the 85% of the children survivors who were rescued and detained in the police stations were not given adequate food.

*77% of the children mentioned that the police conversed in a language they were familiar with.

* 58% of the children survivors mentioned that the police personnel did not discuss the next process post rescue. They also mentioned that they were unaware of all the proceedings and were scared.

* 37% of the children survivors mentioned that the 161 statement was recorded by a policeman and not by a women police.

* 71% of the survivors stated that they were allowed to narrate freely to record the 161 statement. On the other hand, the rest of the 29%, police recorded the statement according to their own narratives.

*68% of the survivors stated that they were escorted by female police or social worker when they were transferred from rescue state to home state. Remaining 32% either travelled by themselves or were escorted by men to their home states.

* 59% of the survivors mentioned that they were not contacted by Government Case workers post their discharge from Child Care Institutions.

* Only 57% of the child survivors mentioned that they have applied for Victim compensation fund. Rest of the 43% state that complications in the process hinders them to apply for Victim Compensation.

* While 84% of the survivors who were reintegrated back home feel safe, the other 16% still feel unsafe.

* 30% of the child survivors mentioned that the person who was behind the trafficking still resides in the same community and 40% of the children stated that their trafficker intimidated them after the reintegration.

* 85% of the survivors stated that it would be helpful if the court notifies prior before the proceedings.

* 71% of the girls stated that they are stigmatized in their communities because they were trafficked. 59% of the survivors mentioned that their families are also stigmatized

Joseph Wesley, Head- Anti Child Trafficking Programs and Case Manager, World Vision India shared “Despite the Government’s considerable attention to child trafficking, the rescue and reintegration apparatus is beset by a range of problems that leave children at risk of further harm”. He further added that, “the situational assessment reveals startling gaps between commitments at the policy level and realities on the ground. Reintegration of trafficked children is treated as a fixed, short-term process that ends when children are put back into family and community environments. The substantial post-rescue needs of trafficked children, including medical care, counseling and education are often neglected. An effective response to this widespread problem requires extensive coordination of numerous governmental and non-governmental agencies across both space and time.”

Recommendations:

* Formulate & implement a comprehensive multi-sectoral survivor-centric trauma-informed reintegration process that provides support at least for 2 years post rescue.

* Equip law enforcement / investigative agencies involved in rescue to be victim sensitive in their handling of victims during and post rescue operations.

* Strengthening law enforcement and prosecution of offenders by filling the human resource and infrastructure gaps, training and addressing procedural gaps.

* Strengthen the capacity of investigation agencies and monitor their performance vis-à-vis timely submission of charge sheet, detention of accused, etc to expedite speedy trial and prosecution.

* Victim Compensation is not a charity but a fundamental right of survivors and it should be made accessible by eliminating the cumbersome process.

* Keep survivors informed in a timely manner of the progress of the trial or lack thereof and the reason that would enhance survivor’s participation in the trial process.

* Formulate a comprehensive witness protection scheme with suitable modification in criminal procedure and allocate adequate budget to ensure the protection of victim/witnesses.

* Reimburse survivor’s travel and other allowances to enable them to participate in trial and make cost of participating in trial/access to justice affordable.

* For rescued children who end up in long-term institutional care or those who enter a childcare shelter home late at the age of 16 or 17 years for instance, there should be well conceived after care programmes so that girls are not suddenly left on their own to fend for themselves after they complete the age of 18 years.

*Allocation of adequate resources and its optimum utilization has always remained a challenge. Child protection budgets are abysmal. Laws are often not backed by financial commitment. This needs to be addressed.

* Despite the changes in law, there are gaps that remain and these need to be tackled. The new Bill proposed by the Government – The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill 2021’ should address all these gaps.