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.

Friday 31 January 2014

Thursday, last night

It is our last night tonight.  We fly out on the red-eye flight tomorrow night.  Tonight, we were invited to dinner with a family and to be a part of their home group.  Grahame was invited to lead the study.  The church has many discipleship groups, home groups running through the week.  People receive good grounding  in the scriptures.  The church is over 1,000 people and 52 satellite churches.  The speed at which the churches are growing , people being baptised and discipled is amazing.  Leann and Ian left today, so we are "Darby and Joan" tonight. (If there is anyone out there old enough to know what that expression means). We are very excited, as we became grandparents again this morning.  We have a new little granddaughter, arrived safe a well.  Number 10 for us.  It will be good to get home and meet her.

Robyn
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