I couldn’t offer names of programs and charities that address this issue. I don’t know of them. But I, too, want to know how I can contribute to stop this ungodly practice.

It’s disgusting…our own people profiting from slave trade of our own kids.

American school vacations started as soon as Indian school vacations ended so while all my cousins were off in school — I used to hang with the house cleaner’s 11-year-old-’daughter’, Thara, when the girl was relieved from work duties; I was 12.

My maternal granny and two maternal uncles lived in one of the few bungalows left in western Bombay on a huge ancestral property of mango and coconut trees. Thara and I spent two months playing all over the property every morning (up until her mom finished cleaning that massive bungalow) — all the childish, silly games kids play (without toys and TV).

One day she told me her mom was not really her mom and her dad did horrible things to her but she could not say what. She said she used to live somewhere else and someone stole her from her real family and brought her into this family.

She didn’t like Bombay but she liked my grandma’s house because she loved the open space.

Without my thought, I went straight to my grandma, told her everything Thara had told me, and asked my grandma if we could her find her real family. “We” had so much and we could probably drive her around until she found her home or maybe she could stay with us because these fake parents were being mean.

The next day was the last day I played with Thara. My grandma spoke to Thara’s ‘fake’ mom that day and then I don’t know whatever went down. My grandma said that some kids are bad, they lie to trick people to get money, and even if that is not the case it was none of our business and ‘respectable’ families didn’t involve themselves in these affairs.

I cried damn loudly. I went and lived the rest of the summer at my dadaji house in South Bombay.

Many, many years later in journalism school, I tried to do an investigative piece on child trafficking in Bombay and not one relative from dad’s real 11 brothers & sisters and mom’s real 2 sisters and 2 brothers would help me talk to anyone, not even NGOs.

They couldn’t understand why someone with my grades chose such a illogical field to study.

Needless to say, I came back to Philly and did a piece on the homeless.

As an adult and later a grad student at Berkeley, I always wondered about Thara.

As a 2nd year law student I took an International Law class and the professor teaching it said every 90 seconds a girl is sold (Sept. 2005).

In June 2007–LA Times had an article about child sex trafficking in India. The link is below; NW Journalism School has hosted the article.

http://www.medill.northwestern.....women.html

Unfortunately, only moral outrage can’t curb the demand for children for sex or labor. And it always pains me to see still that India’s educated, middle-class while morally outraged at human depravity never feel angry enough to ‘participate’ in social activism at any level.

And it always pains me to see still that India’s educated, middle-class while morally outraged at human depravity never feel angry enough to ‘participate’ in social activism at any level.

You bring up a very good point. The exact attitude of the people is seen in every level . Case in point, Burma. India took such a long time and there was so much pressure from other countries to issue a damn statement.

I remember a long time ago, when we were living in Bombay, my parents told me that they saw someone get beat up on the street. What did they do, nothing. What did other onlookers do nothing. I wish that changed.

And it always pains me to see still that India’s educated, middle-class while morally outraged at human depravity never feel angry enough to ‘participate’ in social activism at any level.

Guys,
I have stopped commenting on SM because I am tired of the generalizations about India and Indians there.Don’t start here,please - else I will lose another safe space

Desidiva,
While I appreciate your sharing your story ,please qualify your generalizations. Many in the middle class do not get involved.Many do. A couple of months ago, I made my weekly call to my parents and my dad said they could not speak because my folks were out there on the street as part of a dharna.

I know a lot of folks who are invloved with the PUCL (people’s union for civil liberties -India’s ACLU) - and yes, they are middle class folks too.They get beaten and cursed at but they persevere.

I know that a lot more folks should get involved .But sitting here in the USA and passing judgements on the entire Indian middle class that is just starting to discover national identity will not help.

For a while, I was working with some like minded people and we were talking of networking a series of NGOs in India, that was when I heard about Prayas (www.prayasonline.org), they had a survey about number of children sexually abused by people they know, the number is close to 53% and there are many indications this is an underestimate, however our group disbanded because of some differences between people with religious affiliations and the group activity stopped…however I got to know about Assoc. for India Development, Ekal Vidyalay, Pratham and Prayas …Prayas I think was more towards protecting children, others were more on development and education.

Runa:

My bad. I do agree with you, there are a lot of people who are doing some amazing things and we should not be generalizing all Indian’s into one group.

My apologies, now… could I make it up to you with some cake?

Guys,
I have stopped commenting on SM because I am tired of the generalizations about India and Indians there.Don’t start here,please - else I will lose another safe space

come on Runa, u stopping commenting will not help changing anything…didn’t u see ‘page 3′ - U have to be in the system to clean it :)..on a more serious note, I know the generalization an I don’t agree with a lot of things lot of bloggers say, I can’t fight everyone and everything but pick the one I can add some value to…

come on Runa, u stopping commenting will not help changing anything…didn’t u see ‘page 3′ - U have to be in the system to clean it :)..on a more serious note, I know the generalization an I don’t agree with a lot of things lot of bloggers say, I can’t fight everyone and everything but pick the one I can add some value to…

Sidhu, I have to respectfully disagree here. The change (generalization and sitting back and not doing a thing) needs to happen someplace. I cannot sit here and expect things to change unless I am making an active choice.

So why not it start from me? From us?

err…not quite sure, what the point of disagreement was, probably I didn’t put my thought clearly earlier…. I know the way Indians are generalized - and even though u cannot argue with every blogger on every point, u have to pick one where u can add some value that will make a blogger change his point of view abt generalization and categorization…or at least make him/her look at it from my POV..I’m all about ‘pro-involvement’ in bringing abt change, never considered myself a passive viewer

mea culpa.

my intention was to write my extended families do not get involved.

Okay we are all cool!

My apologies, now… could I make it up to you with some cake?

Karthik,
Cake works everytime :-).
Getting back on track: human trafficking is a serious and heartbreaking problem.And unfortunately the “sex with a virgin will cure STDs” is a widely held belief. The whole issue is complex and IMO tied up with the status of the girl child in general in that society.What do you think about legalizing prostitution? I am totally for it.I believe it will improve the working standards in the sex industry.Once it comes into the mainstream, will it not be subject to the same checks and balances as other professions?Will that reduce the trafficking in underage girls?

Some excellent resources:

http://www.protectionproject.org/frame.htm
The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Internationa

http://www.catwinternational.org/
The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-International

http://www.captivedaughters.org/
Committed to ending the exploitative practice of sex trafficking, with a particular focus on girls and women. -Sandra Hunnicutt the founder also has a blog:
http://www.captivedaughters.org/blog.html

Runa — I agree with you 100% the status of the girl child plays a pivotal role.

What do you think about legalizing prostitution? I am totally for it.I believe it will improve the working standards in the sex industry.Once it comes into the mainstream, will it not be subject to the same checks and balances as other professions?

I am totally for legalizing most illegal things, prostitution included. But in India, where sex is still a taboo, there needs to be a multifaceted approach. Sex education was a great start, but the politicians seem to have a big problem with it.

Will that reduce the trafficking in underage girls?

I personally think that it will have a great effect on underage trafficking, but more needs to be done.

I have heard of a subset of low income parents who have kids to increase their household income, Santosh had a post about parents pimping their daughters for divine blessing. These folks are as responsible as the ‘customer’ who thinks sex with underage girls will cure STD’s.