Is Guwahati turning den for women trafficking?

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Guwahati seems to have become a source, transit, and destination point for women trafficking. The CID of Anti-Human Trafficking stated that in 2023, 151 cases of trafficking were reported, out of which 135 women were rescued. Until June, 70 cases were reported and 56 women rescued.

Many women are trafficked from rural areas.

According to police sources, from 2019 to 2022, Assam reported 523 cases of women trafficking, resulting in the rescue of 619 victims and the arrest of 642 individuals.

In 2009, approximately 2000 girls were trafficked from Assam to other states, primarily for commercial sexual exploitation. Most of these girls were rescued from Mumbai and other parts of north-India.

“Home-based brothels, often shifting locations, are a significant concern. Traffickers target vulnerable areas, using social media to entice girls with false promises of marriage, employment, or better lives,” said an official.

“The rise in women trafficking leads to a combination of factors, including poverty, unemployment, and a lack of social and economic opportunities. The traffickers exploit these vulnerabilities, using various strategies to separate girls from their families,” said an official.

“These traffickers’ use social media to entice girls with promises of marriage, employment possibilities, as many of us use social media. The trafficker’s targets most frequently include remote areas and flood-affected areas, where individuals are already low-income and looking for opportunities for better lives. They easily fall prey to such traps,” he said. The official said that some districts were under strict surveillance as inter-district border areas, and during COVID-19, human trafficking became a major problem. 

“We are trying hard and making efforts for the urgent need for effective measures to combat women trafficking in Assam. The establishment of anti-human trafficking units across districts is a step in the right direction. However, more needs to be done to address the root causes of trafficking and protect vulnerable individuals,” said an official.

“Nowadays, there are various organizations like NGOs; the organizations should make awareness programme in remote areas and villages where people are unaware of these traffickers,” said a police officer.

 Also Read: Assam: Human Trafficking Attempt Thwarted In Chirang (sentinelassam.com)

Also Watch: