Ms.Asha sanchu Human Trafficking

Refers to the illegal and immoral buying and selling of human beings as commodities to meet global demands for commercial sexual slavery or forced labor. Exploitation of the Vulnerable

Globally Statistics are often unavailable and contradictory United Nations estimates : 700,000-4,000,000 women and children trafficked around the world for labor, forced prostitution and exploitation every year. In January 2012, it is believed that over27 million people working as personal and sexual slaves Human Trafficking generates $7-31 billion annually Men 12%, women 66% and children 22% 80% of the HT across the world is done for sexual exploitation and the rest for bonded labor and India is considered as the hub of this crime in Asia.

Sad Fact Exploitation is nothing new though each generation finds its own unique ways of oppressing the weak and vulnerable Today, the face of human migration is female, poverty is female, human trafficking is female, worldwide church is increasingly female Trafficking for sexual exploitation is one of the fastest growing organized crime. Forcefully/willfully taken, bottom line, these people lost their basic Human Rights

Trafficking for/ includes Labor Exploitation Sexual exploitation : pornography Prostitution : breeding Forced marriages/One month wife Organ trade/begging International and state/province Domestic :within country/state/province-city

The Traffickers Can be a pimp, boyfriend, father, mother, brother, uncle, a coach, a teacher or anyone exerting control over someone, even a peer Not always organized crime Both men and women of varying ages Anyone who benefits from commercial sexual exploitation ( cab drivers, hotel workers ets)

INDIA: 1.2 Billion Population Estimates 3 million prostitutes in India. Every hour, 4 girls/women enters into prostitution, 3 against their will. Male prostitution is not recognized in any Indian law. 1, 50,000 persons missing every year. (CBI ) 4 th Position as most dangerous place for women and children in the world. Average of 200 women enter into sex work everyday. 160 forced into it. 300,000 brothels, 1100 red light areas. UNODC : 1million girls/ women work in India's sex industry which is estimated to be worth around 400 billion rupees ($9billion annually).

India As per the statistics of Government, every eight (8) minutes a child goes missing in our country. In 2011, about 35,000 children were reported missing and more than 11,000 out of these were from West Bengal. It is assumed that only 30% of the total cases were reported. So the actual number is pretty high. As per the data of the Home Ministry, 1379 cases of HT were reported from Karnataka in the period of four years, 2244 in Tamil Nadu and 2157 in Andhra Pradesh. According to article in Firstpost, Delhi is the hub of Human Trafficking trade in India and half of the world’s slave live in India.

ROOT CAUSES Vulnerability factors Gender discrimination within the family, community Ignorance & Illiteracy Violence against women and children childhood sexual abuse Drugs and other addiction Poverty ++

HOW IS THIS DONE? Promise of better lives/jobs, better/ free education help immigrating faked jobs, false marriages, offers money for organ trade kidnap, beaten, raped Tricked Lured Forced Missionary, Media, Internet

Why Human Trafficking is increasing in India? Fundamental theory of demand and supply Economic injustice and poverty Social inequality, regional gender preference, imbalance, corruption Parents in tribal areas think sending their children means a better life in terms of education and safety.

North East India: 7 States 40 Million Population States Assam Manipur Nagaland Mizoram Meghalaya Tripura Arunachal Population 3.11 crore lakh lakh lakh lakh lakh lakh Sex/Crime against women

Realities of the North East States Share many international borders which are open and unmanned. This provides easy passage in and out of India for traffickers. Become pick up zone for traffickers Demand of child labor in the form of domestic helper. Migration, Urbanization, armed conflict, displacement, militarization, influx of security personals During , in the NE, a total of 26,553 cases inspections were made, 64 prosecutions completed and only 15 accused were convicted.

Challenges Difficult to identify victims and traffickers Lack of public knowledge/prevention programs Co-operation of victims difficult to obtain Lack of shelters and social services Rise of poverty and conflict Rise of unemployment Lack of livelihood opportunities Stakeholders working in isolation

Why is this our Concern? God’s business is freedom. Isaiah 61:1; Ezekiel 34:16 God hates abuse. Isaiah 61:8; God’s law repeatedly tells us to treat others kindly and fairly. Called to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeons those who sit in darkness: the Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene. Isaiah 42:7 and 59:16

You may be just one person to the entire world, but you the entire world to that one person-the trafficked victim. God demands of us to focus on His justice and to stand up for the oppressed, marginalized, alien and the poor. God demands everything that is in our power to act as God’s hands in bringing justice. Prov 31:8-9 Caring for the poor is honoring Jesus. (Jer 22:16; Mt 25: 35-40, James 2:1-5).

Human Trafficking :a concern and challenge to the church Misconception of spiritual from physical Evangelism : conversion and church planting Not the responsibility of the church, leave it to the NGOs, Governments etc

Individuals/Churches..what can we do? Every abolition movement begins with expressing our discontent and demands Hold government responsible not only to pass laws but to enforce them Help in Repatriation and Rehabilitation Do Research Pray Fund raising Develop Action plan

Find out what the gap in service are… Can you fill the need? Or Can you find someone to fill the need? Can you provide employment that does not exploit people again? Or Do you know someone who can provide non exploitative employment? Ask the Service providers what they need most?

Don’t be ignorant. Being informed is the first step. Act now. Stop Sexual Exploitation Against Women