WOMEN AT THE RECEIVING END

According to R.Isbal, Executive Director of Madras Christian College of Social Service (MCCSS) which rehabilitates and reintegrates trafficked women with their families, the increased number could be becauseTamil Nadu is an active transport hub and thus serves as transit point for people indulged in trafficking. She said that there were cases in which the women and young girls from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Kerala had been rescued in Tamil Nadu. With sex tourism becoming widespread, women from all four southern states and sometimes even Mahrarashtra are brought into Tamil Nadu she said. Rekha 22 was 14 when she ran away from her house in Vijayawada with her Boy Friend taking with her Rs.50,000/- and some gold jewels. “I lived with him for five months in Hyderabad before he sold me to a pimp and ran away. They later told me that he had sold me for Rs.50,000/- “ says a teary-eyed Rekha. She was later bought to the MCCSS where she has been helping authorities creating awareness in colleges. Young girls both from urban centers and rural areas are lured to luxurious living or employment opportunities elsewhere by the cunning and wayward youths or fake recruiting agencies. Girls get trapped this way and it becomes difficult for them to know the true motives behind and escape from the clutches of pimps and rogues. MCCSS is doing extremely well in this regard by addressing girls in schools and colleges at the right stage. More and more such organizations should come out in the open and undertake awareness campaigns from time to time. Police esp. the women police should also take it up as a social service. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++