Protecting minors from sex trafficking in Mumbai, India

Human traffickers and slave masters use deception, threats and violence to force people to work for little or no payment. Although slavery is outlawed throughout the world, millions of people are enslaved. In particular, women and children are exploited in enforced prostitution. In Asia’s largest red light district in Mumbai, the situation is especially grim.

IJM wants to bring the sexual exploitation and human trafficking of minors in brothels and private residences to an end. Along with its case work, IJM is working systematically for this purpose on the weaknesses in criminal investigation and prosecution, which have until now impeded any effective campaign against human trafficking. IJM has gained the support of the government of the State of Maharashtra for introducing and supervising reforms: in 2012 IJM became a consultative member in governmental organisations and committees.

 In August 207, IJM and the police of Kolkata were disappointed when a rescue operation failed. Just a few weeks later, they were able to celebrate a success, because the four girls they were hoping to rescue were finally freed, the youngest being 13 years old at the time. The girls were rescued from private sex traffickers. The traffickers had moved them from a red light district in the city to a private apartment in a suburb for sexual exploitation.

The police were able to arrest four traffickers and one customer, which is rare in such of cases.