Please - Odhikar

name of eviction, etc., but also become vulnerable during their adolescence and often become
victims of sexual exploitation by hoodlums and even by the neighbors. Many also turn to cheap
drugs. Ultimately they might be picked up and sold to the brothels and even trafficked to other
cities. There is another category of children known as ‘missing children’. Recently in an article
in a national police journal, one of the IG of Police Mr. Nair, wrote that 15 to 20 thousand
children get 'lost' every year, of which 15 to 20 % are traced and the rest remain untraced.
Where do these children go? It is an easy guess that most of the children are trafficked and sold
to the brothels. Community leaders, religious leaders and even family members have not
accepted these victimized girls and the abusers that are caught get freed due to pressure by
vested interest and powerful groups. There are government and NGOs run homes for such girls,
as is provided in the national plan of action 1988, or under different Acts. India has signed
CEDAW as well as SAARC Convention for Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Children
and Women for Prostitution. The country is bound to follow the norms and sections of these
Conventions and Acts. The Prevention of Social Exploitation Act, 1988 provides shelter for
rescued girls and women, restoration of such to their families in case of cross-border trafficking.
These are also provisions for counseling, vocational and educational training and recreation in
all the homes run by the government and NGOs. In most of the cases the family does not want to
take back the girl child on the pretext that a daughter/other daughters of the family have to be
given into marriage and they cannot take back the trafficked and sexually exploited girl because
they will be socially boycotted. There are some families and parents who, after several family
counseling session, have agreed to take back the girls who have fallen victim to sexual attacks or
trafficking. The fact remains that most of the girls remain unaccepted to the community and
families. Lot of awareness rising at the community level needs to be done in order to bring about
attitudinal changes towards the victims. The existing situation in the lower judiciary and police
stations and their methods of treating such victims must change radically. To change such
situations mass awareness programs should be organized. Sensitisation of police, panchayet, and
judiciary on this issue is vital for restoration and reintegration of victimized girls. For economic
independence, vocational training and financial help must be ensured for such girls for social
reintegration. Poverty alleviation programs need to be taken up in the economically backward
areas. Young adolescents need to be educated on sex and sexuality and how to protect
themselves at times of necessity. There are number of NGOs and other organizations in India
and also the State government that have developed shelter homes keeping in mind the welfare
and rehabilitation of such victimized girls.
Lastly, let me give you an example of another type of victim. It happened a few months back on
a hot day somewhere in south India. A thirsty person came near a well to drink water. For doing
so, the person was not only severely beaten but also sent to police station on different charges.
Unfortunately the reason was that the well was made for the use of people of the 'higher caste'
and the person belonged to a scheduled caste. So he was not allowed to take water from that
well. To my mind this is another case of victimisation. To protect the interest of the victim and
witness, one cannot ignore the socio-economic and political dimensions. The victims are often
the results of the given socio-economic and political process. Since this is an inequality, the
cases may not come up at the appropriate level and be referred for justice.
Farhad Mazhar: These issues need to be considered as well. However, these are not universal
cases, but particular cases. When a particular case is important- Jogitabala for example, and the
Report 2005
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