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.

Thursday 15 January 2015

Thursday. Home alone in India

Today, we had a good meeting with an Indian lady who will be of great benefit to us.  We spent most of the day with her.  We took her to lunch in a sort of cowboy restaurant.  The Indian waiters had cowboy hats on and the bar seats were all saddles.  Rather  weird in the middle of Delhi.  We have two  other  connections to make  today, and Grahame and Raju have just left with someone for more insights into the ministry.  I have had chest congestion for the past two weeks, and out in the night air, and in the back of open tuk tuks in the cold wind aren't helping, so I have decided to stay in tonight.  We changed hotels today.  The one we were in was pretty poor and a long way from where we needed to be.  This is still basic but better than the last one.  Grahame and Raju will be having dinner tonight with a local pastor also.  We have quite a few other appointments tomorrow.  There is so much time wasted waiting for people and waiting around, it is frustrating when we are used to more organised ways of doing things.  We will see what tomorrow brings.  In the meantime, I'm holed up in my chilly  room with Indian television and awaiting my Butter Chicken to arrive from a smiling young Indian boy.
Robyn 
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