Poverty is widespread in India. Caste pervades every area of Indian life and culture bringing with it discrimination and marginalisation. Both are major reasons why trafficking flourishes in India, yet they are not the only factors. Other attitudes in society also play a part.

[economics]

Bonded labour is the largest and most widespread form of human slavery in the world today. But bonded labour is not a new problem: it has been an economic reality for generations. Many of those who are bonded to landowners will tell you that it was the same for their father, grandfather and great grandfather. It is not unusual for debt to be passed on from generation to generation. Bonded labour thrives because of the benefits it brings to landowners: labourers cost very little compared to the profits they can generate.

[demand]

Brothels perpetuate the ‘world’s oldest trade’: prostitution. However, prostitution can only thrive where there is a demand for sex. Based on the widespread availability of prostitutes in India, the demand is clearly high.

[morality]

Agents who arrange for children to be trafficked into abusive employment see themselves as playing a valuable role in society matching workers with positions. They have little concept of the immorality of depriving children of their freedom and dignity, and of their childhood. Since Dalits, the main victims of trafficking, are considered to be the dregs of society, their rights mean very little.

[status of women]

Another factor which makes people vulnerable to trafficking in India is gender discrimination.  Although some women have important roles in society, there are many others who suffer from treatment at the hands of men: domestic violence is high in India. Often women are not valued in society as demonstrated by cases of selective infanticide. These factors combine to make women vulnerable to trafficking

Dalit women find themselves most vulnerable. They are not only members of the lowest group in society, falling below the caste system, and therefore born into poverty, but as women, they also find themselves ranked at the lowest level even within their own caste. Professor Sudha Rani describes Dalit women as carrying the triple burden of caste, class and gender.

The challenge is to change attitudes, and to transform communities.

[impunity]

There is one more factor that plays its part: traffickers can get away with it. Laws exist to protect people from trafficking but are not enforced. The rate of successful prosecutions against traffickers is extremely low: cases rarely get to court and when they do witnesses are often found to be unreliable. One reason why cases do not make it to court is corruption. There are many instances of traffickers bribing police to ignore accusations.

In addition to community transformation, there is a need for more effective enforcement of anti-trafficking legislation.

Dalit Freedom Network is working to make a difference by transforming communities and lobbying for more effective measures to tackle trafficking. [Read more...]