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.

Monday 15 September 2014

Monday 15th. Another great ride

Yesterday, after my morning class, I needed to go to do more interviews with the girls.  It is always a bit of a juggle, finding a suitable time for an interpreter, when it suits the hostel parents and when the kids are not at school and when I am not in a class or shopping for food.  Anyway, when the time came it was raining and I was being collected on the bike.  I was really looking forward to it, as I enjoyed it so much last time.  Having no rain gear, I wore my winter coat and a broken helmet to keep my hair dry.  So we made it, in the rain, through potholes full of water and the mad traffic.  I still have more interviews to do so I will have another chance to ride through the streets of Kathmandu.  Yahoo!!!!!!!!!

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