A Red light in the Red district

Charu was sold into prostitution after a friend promised her a job selling saris at a distant fair. The friend disappeared after they exited the train and a man approached who claimed he had purchased her. The man brought her to a brothel where Charu was beaten, assaulted and raped. Charu had lost everything. Her husband, her children, her dignity.

Early summer 2007, a source informed an International Justice Mission staff member of Charu’s brothel. IJM investigators arrived at the brothel and covertly documented evidence of her imprisonment. After presenting the evidence to a local authority, the police accompanied the IJM staff member back to the brothel and removed Charu from her imprisonment. IJM not only reconnected Charu with her family, they assessed her condition and found rehabilitation services that would adequately address her individual needs. IJM has also facilitated action against the brothel owner and helped Charu testify as part of the prosecution process.

Human trafficking is tied for the second largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Between 600,000 and 800,000 recognized victims are transported across international boarders against their will, in a form of modern day slavery which dictates the lives of over 12.3 million people in every country throughout the world. More than 80 percent of these victims are women and girls, most of which are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. Known as sex trafficking, this 21st century form of slavery promises a better life—a paying job, a secure marriage, profit from the sale of a family member, transportation to a country with better opportunity—yet in return only pays in physical and psychological harm.

South East Asia is a region of origin, destination and transit countries for an estimated quarter million currently trafficked women and children. A recent study published in August 2007 strongly emphasized a connection between sex trafficking and the increasing spread of HIV/AIDS within South Asia.

The global problem of sex trafficking is impacting lives throughout the world, from poverty-stricken third world nations to the United States and Europe. Victims who are rescued and released from bondage have suffered greatly physically and psychologically from beatings, traumatic brain injury, drug/alcohol addiction and STDs. Physical suffering from miscarriages or forced abortions lead to psychological harm which includes Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, depression, insomnia, suicidal thoughts/suicide attempts, mind/body separation, shame, grief, fear distrust, hatred of men and self-hatred. Many women also suffer from traumatic bonding in which they feel gratitude or indebted to the perpetrator for being allowed to live. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have taken the role of establishing rehabilitation and recovery opportunities for these victims.

The United States along side the United Nations have attempted to define the adequate responsibility of a countries government to address this issue of international human rights, but the action and implementation of these standards varies from country to country. The underground nature of the trade and corrupt and instable governments allow thousands of women to live enslaved with no hope of a future.

With ineffective government action, victims do not have the opportunity to reach these resources and the UN and US have not done enough to ensure governments uphold their commitments.

But the International Justice Mission (IJM) is an NGO that not only provides resources for recovery and rehabilitation but is also actively devoted to bringing the victims to them. IJM is a human rights agency comprised of lawyers, investigators and after-care professionals, who work with local governments to rescue victims, prosecute perpetrators and strengthen the public justice systems. Focusing on these three aspects, IJM works not only to respond to the humanitarian crisis but effectively reduce the profitability of the enterprise and increase the risk to those involved. The goal is simple, help these governments to legitimately uphold the standards of legislation set forth by the UN to effectively rescue victims and prosecute perpetrators. A red light in the red district.