The business of trafficking is so huge that it did not spare even the foreigners and the report states that an NGO rescued around twenty percent foregoers from trafficking business. Goa along with its beaches and picturesque sceneries also has its dark side, human trafficking is one of them.
Sources at the TOI state that in 2018 alone, 102 victims were rescued from commercial sex activities. Of the 102, 21 were from other countries.
These women are often from countries in Central Asia as well as neighboring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh.
Victims are also from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Israel, to name a few.
Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), appointed by Goa Police as the nodal NGO of the anti-human trafficking unit of the police, said that often many women who are trafficked are not rescued.
ARZ director, Arjun Pandey stated that a new trend highlights that NCR (National Capital Region) is developing as one of the main areas from where Goa sources women.
He also added that commercial sex activities which were earlier confined to hotels and massage parlors are now spreading to residential areas, with big housing complexes being the main choice.
During their work in the field, ARZ has found that most of the customers are domestic tourists. While these activities are more widespread in North Goa and the coastal belt, cases in Vasco, Margao, and Ponda have been reported. This makes it all the more difficult to crack down on illegalities.
The business now uses the internet to solicit customers. The perpetrators prefer to go online to recruit, solicit and receive payments. Pandey also pointed out that most of the times; the victims as well as perpetrators were residents of Goa. Tourism and the existence of an organized network for such activities continue to create a demand for commercial sexual activities.
“Human trafficking for child sexual exploitation (CSE) does not get the required attention and priority of law enforcement agencies. The investigation does not cover the chain of offenses and the persons involved” he said.
ARZ further added that no action was being taken against establishments which perpetuate or are involved in commercial sexual activities like hotels, flats, shops; lodges massage parlors and the like.
Source: TOI
