Help victims of sex trafficking and rape

According to a 2016 estimate by the Global Slavery Index, there are 45.8 million individuals involved in some form of modern slavery. Out of these, more than 18 million (highest in the world) people are living in conditions of modern slavery in India. Globally, human trafficking is the second largest and the fastest growing criminal industry in the world (Polaris Project). As per Guria’s PIL in the Honourable Supreme Court, almost 12 lakh minors are still captives in the sex industry throughout the country. According to the ILO Report 2014, human trafficking earns profits of roughly $150 billion a year for traffickers and $99 billion of that is from commercial sexual exploitation. 75% to 77% victims enter the sex trade through trafficking (Report: Girls and women in prostitution in India, supported by Department of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India). The US TIP Report 2012 states that only 0.15% (i.e.,1 in every 700) victims are ever identified in the cases of human trafficking. The US TIP report 2018 says that according to NCRB report, 7570 victims of sex trafficking were identified in 2016 in India. Corruption is endemic and there is limited rule of law.

The above statistics show the extremity of the situation. It demands a reversal of power balance and long term sustainable impactful changes in favour of the most vulnerable, marginalized social groups of victims of sex trafficking/ rape with dignity.

Pioneered in the year 1993 by Ajeet Singh, Guria, a 36 member NGO in India, works towards fighting the sexual exploitation of women and children, especially through forced prostitution and sex trafficking which further leads to more severe and complex issues because of sex tourism and spreading of HIV/AIDS. The blue print of the foundation was laid out way back in 1988 when Mr. Singh adopted three children of a woman from a red light area. The milestone is astonishing as Mr. Singh was only 17 years of age. Guria has fulfilled the absence of an organisation in India that works towards sex trafficking and forced prostitution of women and children since its inception.

Guria's multi pronged approach covers the following points in its efforts to combat the epidemic of sex trafficking:

1. Legal Intervention

2. Rescue

3. Sensitization on the issue of sex trafficking with NGOs/CBOs/Police/SSB/Media/Advocates/other stakeholders

4. Village vigilance committee meetings

5. Witness protection

6. Livelihood support

7. Vocational training and education support in source areas for prevention of trafficking

8. Education, nutritional and vocational training support to vulnerable children in red light areas

9. Health support

10. Exposure trips of beneficiaries

11. Guria Freedom Now worldwide campaign

Through its 25 years of operation, Guria has achieved many milestones in its work of rescue, rehabilitation and advocacy. The team has rescues over 2500 persons from slavery, including the victims of commercial sexual exploitation and bonded labour. Guria has built up a 42,000 people strong rural women’s organization to prevent human trafficking in high risk areas. Guria currently supports the education and vocational training of about 5400 children, of which presently 460 have been admitted to formal schools. Total children supported till now is about 6800. Post rescue, through the rehabilitation program,154 children have adopted alternative ways of earning their livelihoods outside the red-light areas. Taking about innovation and equality, Guria has created India’s first ever cultural group of 30 women in prostitution who perform traditional music and dance as a means of rehabilitation and awareness. It also generates an income for these performers. They have performed in prestigious venues across India.

Apart from these, some prominent legal achievements of Guria include:

• Achieved a landmark judgment by the Hon’ble Supreme court against bail for human traffickers.

• Two landmark judgments by Hon’ble Supreme Court rejecting bails of 14 very prominent human traffickers.

• Set a precedent through the Supreme Court rejecting fake custodies of rescued victims.

• Prevented reopening of 61 seized brothels at Allahabad through the Hon’ble High Court.

• Created the first sustainable child prostitution free red-light area.

• Unprecedented Judgment - Superintendent of Government Protection Home (Agra) is sentenced for life imprisonment for re-trafficking 57 rescued girls: the first case of life imprisonment both under section 370 (7) IPC and 16/17 POCO Act.

• Legal interventions in 2887 criminal cases against human traffickers, over 700 bail rejections achieved and total 70 brothels worth crores of rupees have been seized by the administration.

• As an extension of the criminal cases, Guria has filed a total of 15 Public Interest Litigations (PILs) in the hon’ble Supreme Court and hon’ble High Court to combat human trafficking.