ANNUAL REPORT 2012-2013 - Prajwala

REHABILITATIONThe Problem:Sita came from a very poor family from Andhra Pradesh. Her father expired when she was verysmall, her older brother left the house when he got married, and her mother was deaf-mute. Sita'smother began doing domestic work in Ranga Reddy district for one NGO founder and put Sita ina government hostel for study purpose. In addition to using her for household labor, the NGOowner frequently took advantage of Sita‘s mother for sexual purposes. Whenever Sita would getschool holidays or vacation she would visit her mother and the owner would take Sita to his homeand sexually abuse her as well. The rapes continued for many years, until in 2009 Prajwalareceived information from the government hostel that Sita was pregnant and requested Prajwalato counsel her and find out the reason for her pregnancy. The hostel warden explained that theNGO owner often picked Sita up to ―visit her mother‖ but they did not know the details; theyexplained that Sita‘s stomach was getting large and that she was vomiting. Prajwala talked toSita directly, who affirmed that she had been raped multiple times and that the NGO owner alsotook her photograph on his mobile phone and shared it with his colleagues and friends. Both Sitaand her mother were referred to Prajwala for rehabilitation.The experiences of sex-trafficked women and children are heartbreaking. After beingrescued, if they are simply released back into society with nowhere to go, chances areextremely high that they will continue working in the only trade they know--eitherforcibly or willingly returning to prostitution! This is not because they voluntarily chooseto sell themselves, but rather because the majority of them are illiterate with no otheroptions to make a living. Such women and girls have no alternative ideas of how to earna livelihood and feed themselves and their children. Occasionally they become sobrainwashed and desensitized that they see nothing wrong with exchanging their bodiesto men in return for money. Unless an intervention is made on their behalf in the form ofsafety and protection, these girls are likely to spend a lifetime in slave-like conditionswith no hope for salvation.The Response:Prajwala believes that rehabilitation is long-term holistic process, with interconnectedapproaches that cannot be stand-alone interventions. The first step involvespsychological rehabilitation of victims, to ensure that the damage caused by beingtrafficked for a prolonged period of time is undone, and that their emotional stabilityand self-confidence is restored. For example, as rescued victims come from very abusive37