Desperate Girls

The Badi Girls

Between 7,000 and 12,000 young girls, aged 9-16, are trafficked each year from Nepal; mainly to India. According to Nepal Monitor/On line journal, 2007, there are more than 200,000 Nepali girls in Indian brothels.

The Dalits(untouchables) are the lowest level in Hindu society, and the Badi community, in Western Nepal, are the lowest of the low. As a displaced hungry people group the Badi community has made sexual subservience a way of life. Young girls from this group “serve” other groups. This has become a tradition and means of livelihood. Many girls, even when they are unwilling, are forced to serve as sex slaves. Family members knowingly sell their daughters to traffickers.

Though prostitution is illegal in Nepal, the industry reportedly has links with highly ranked officials and political leaders. Large groups of girls are taken across the border with many police and government officials being in collusion with traffickers and brothel owners.

Traffickers and related criminals are often protected by political parties, and if arrested, are freed using political power. As a result, there is an underlying distrust of police that has led people not to file cases against traffickers.

Domestic action involves activities of NGO’s and other volunteer groups. These groups are playing a major role to address girl-trafficking and sex slaves issues. Some NGO’s are playing a very important role to improve the situation. From creating social awareness to rescuing and rehabilitation, they are providing services (and relief) to those that need it the most – the likely victims as well as the rescued ones. The Lighthouse foundation is one of these.

*See Chandra Kala’s story on this blog site.

Sunday 19 January 2014

Sunday, back in our second home

I arrived here at lunch time on Friday, to reasonably warm weather for this time of the year.  Nothing has changed much, still chaotic, colourful, tragic.  I wrote two blogs but they disappeared into the atmosphere.  I'm sure it was my fault, so I will start again.  Our team at present is only three.  Grahame, myself and Leann.  Leann's husband is out in the west teaching. "Creation to Christ" to 40 or so pastors,  leaders and deacons. He will return here on Thursday.  Leann is doing cooking training, I am doing more doll making(eventually for the tourist trade) and another Nepalese lady is doing jewellery making.  So we will have a full house the next two weeks, as all the training is here in the guest house on the ground floor.  I am a late arrival as my mum passed away and I needed to stay behind for the funeral. Grahame has already been here for two weeks for the teachers conference.  There were 115 or so here for training and we are so thankful for the wonderful educators who come from Australia each year and give their expertise and even more importantly, their love to these beautiful people, so keen to learn.  Grahame is quite ill.  We don't know if it is food poisoning or something else .  He spent the day in bed(which never happens) yesterday, and he is still very unwell this morning.  Please pray.  Also, there is a little girl who has recently come into our care, who is in ICU and very ill.  Please pray for her also.  Church yesterday was, as always, a joy to be part of.  The singing is so wonderful, and Raju is a fantastic preacher. Very animated and funny.  Only wish I knew what he was saying.  But he had his congregation totally focused.

Robyn

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