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, 10 October 2013

Thursday, 10th, Last day.


It is afternoon, and we are all weary from the last month.  Grahame returned from India quite exhausted.  So tragic to see what is happening to girls there.  The need is so overwhelming , it is easy to be discouraged but then I see our girls and women and babies here, and we just have to focus on that and rescue one at a time.  One of our new half-way house girls, only 14, told me her story today and the brutality to this sweet, tiny little girl is inconceivable.  She said she has only known hated and torture, but since being here she only knows, love,love,love.  This morning, Josh did a cooking class with about half a dozen of the women , including our beautiful little 14 year old.  They made chocolate muffins with whipped cream, and then made coffee on our snazzy coffee machine, and proudly delivered the food to everyone here.  The muffins were beautiful.
Josh and Aaron sang to them for a couple of hours afterwards.  They did'nt want to go home. It is so great to see them smiling and clapping along and having something good in their lives.  The young couple who caretaker here have been enjoying it too.  They have been such a great help to us when we need understanding of culture or help in any thing we need.  They are such humble, willing people.  We are not particularly looking forward to the flight home.  About 13 hours flying time plus a 6 hour stopover in Bangkok.

Muffin Class

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