27-04-2023 : Human trafficking is not a new phenomenon in India and has been prevalent for centuries. The country’s complex social and economic systems have made it easier for traffickers to exploit vulnerable individuals. In the past, human trafficking was often associated with the caste system and the practice of Devadasi, where girls from lower castes were dedicated to temples as servants or prostitutes. The British colonial period saw an increase in the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and domestic work.
After India gained independence, several laws were enacted to address human trafficking, including the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. However, despite these efforts, human trafficking continued to thrive in India. In recent years, there has been a renewed focus on combating human trafficking, and several organizations and government agencies have been working towards this goal.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the issue of human trafficking has been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in the region. The region’s high levels of poverty, unemployment, and social instability have also made it easier for traffickers to prey on vulnerable individuals.
To address this issue, the NCW organized an anti-human trafficking workshop in Kashmir. The workshop aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking and bring together various organizations to work towards combating this issue. The workshop is an essential step towards protecting vulnerable individuals and addressing the long-standing problem of human trafficking in the region.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the reported cases of human trafficking increased by 15.56% in Jammu and Kashmir in the last year. However, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Rekha Sharma, believes that the actual number of human trafficking cases in the region is much higher, as the reported cases only represent the tip of the iceberg.
Sharma stated that women are particularly vulnerable to being trafficked in Kashmir. In recent years, there has been an increase in trafficking through marriage, where women are lured to Kashmir with the promise of employment but are then forced into marriage and subjected to sexual abuse. Sharma also stated that women are often lured into trafficking under the guise of well-paying jobs, only to be exploited and abused.
To raise awareness about this issue, the NCW organized an anti-human trafficking workshop in Kashmir. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together various organizations to make people aware of the dangers of human trafficking, particularly vulnerable individuals like children and women.