Trafficking in Mumbai

The US state department issues a report each year on how well countries are doing in the fight against trafficking. Tier one countries are deemed to have adequate legislation and are doing well in the battle against trafficking. Tier two countries have a significant problem and their systems are inadequate, but they are trying to come to terms with the situation. Tier three countries have a huge problem and are not doing enough to fight it. India is in the tier two “watch list” - they are being monitored and if they don’t make progress they could drop to the bottom of the pile. This is very concerning in a country of over a billion people. Officials from the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons were in India this month to try to assess what progress if any is being made in the fight against trafficking.
Mumbai is a city of over 18 million inhabitants. It is estimated that their are about 100,000 prostitutes. With at least 12,000 women being trafficked each year into India from Nepal alone it is surprising to find that in Mumbai in 2004 there were only 11 prosecutions for trafficking. This total is up from 3 in 2003, but still represents a fraction of the involvement of organised crime. The number of women and children being trafficked from Bangladesh was increasing recently until the instability in Nepal meant it became easier to deceive and abduct women from the kingdom. The women and children being trafficked to Mumbai are being preyed upon because of their poverty and the vulnerability of their situation. Obviously this is not true of all prostitutes in Mumbai, but there is a significant minority who have been brought there against their will or under false pretences.
Underage prostitutes try to find customers around the area of the major hotels in the city, particularly in Colabar. It is certain that some of the clients using the top hotels abuse young women and children. If you travel to Mumbai enjoy the city - it is a wonderful place -but question whether it is right to use a prostitute who may have been trafficked. As in most countries it is illegal in India to have sex with a minor. Most business travellers would never even consider doing this - but hotels should inform their guests of the problem and also of the laws which make such acts illegal. Hotels should also help to fund initiatives to protect, educate and rehabilitate children and women whose lives are destroyed by trafficking and slavery. Why not ask your hotel about it when you are in the city?
You can read the full US state department report at http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2004/