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Indian law prescribes 'protective custody' for sex workers, placing them in carceral shelters after police and NGO-initiated raids and rescues. Frequent allegations of abuse and incidents of escape are followed by media and judicial scrutiny, leaving shelter detention itself unquestioned. This article situates shelter detention in two ways. It examines its legal prescription in the Indian socio-legal context and its connections to global anti-trafficking and anti-immigration contexts. It also engages with Foucauldian concepts and feminist, socio-legal, historical, and anthropological work on India to analyze the power shelter detention instantiates. Next, the article critiques shelter detentionby drawing upon my ethnography at a Mumbai shelter and reflections on methods and ethics, and by tracking how the media and judiciary responded to an escape. Through these methods, approaches, and findings, I argue that shelter detention curtails sex workers' mobilities and impedes their livelihoods through: 1) Its legal prescription, authorizing multiple forms of governance; 2) Its implementation, shaped by challenges of governance delaying sex workers' release; and 3) Media exposés and judicial interventions further intensifying surveillance. The article shows, further, that sex workers' escapes and acts of resistance illuminate not just 'exceptional' abuse, but the routine, ever-expanding forms of governance animating shelter detention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual violence is a major public health problem in India and is associated with myriad short- and long-term behavioral health effects. Affected children are at an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders, behavioral problems, and substance misuse. Behavioral health professionals are highly likely to encounter patients at risk of or with a recent/remote history of child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or sex trafficking. Caregivers of patients may report a history of child sexual violence. Clinicians must possess the knowledge and skills to recognize and appropriately respond to suspected child sexual violence using a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and rights-based approach. Many behavioral health professionals lack the knowledge of child sexual violence and the confidence of working with affected patients. Child sexual violence is not routinely addressed in medical school curricula, nor is it systematically addressed in postgraduate training programs. Practicing clinicians may feel ill-equipped to recognize and manage patients exposed to child sexual violence and may miss opportunities to offer critical support and assistance to vulnerable children and their families. The behavioral health sector needs an organized, systematic, and trauma-informed response to child sexual violence, and this requires specific training of professionals and development of organizational response protocols tailored to fit the needs of the organization and its patient population. Multiple resources are available in India to assist behavioral health professionals, and organization administrators accomplish these goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the life of the victim's parents in Karnataka and to gain a better understanding of the consequences or impact of sex trafficking on them. Design/methodology/approach: A narrative research design was used in the study. Applying the method of narrative inquiry and the concept of three common spaces, the study explored the actual life situations and experiences of the victim's parents. The study covered three pairs of parents as participants from two cities, i.e. Mysore and Bangalore in the state of Karnataka. Data was collected through in-depth face-to-face interview, informal conversations, photographs and field notes. Findings: The study found that the victims' parents are living an isolated or socially alienated life with potential symptoms of behavioural, cognitive and emotional disorders. The study also found that the victim's parents fundamental right to live with dignity and respect have been violated. A significant finding in the study was that the parents did not cite or refer to any substantial efforts undertaken by non-governmental organisations in reintegrating the victim's families within their communities. There are many rehabilitative services available for the victims. Unfortunately, the victim's parents mostly remain unnoticed and unattended by therapists, social work practitioners and policymakers. An appeal is made to therapists, social workers, policymakers and individuals to support the victim's parents. Originality/value: All forms of human trafficking, especially sex trafficking has drawn considerable interest from researchers, policymakers, charities and non-government agencies. However, very little is known about the living conditions of the victim's parents, especially the psycho-social status in their families and neighbourhood. Therefore, it was pertinent to explore the life of the victim's parents including violation of their human rights. It highlights the importance of support from the society in reintegrating the victim's families with their communities. This paper contributes to the qualitative literature by providing narrative evidence, which will lead to better policymaking and designing effective support services for the victim's parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Masculinity and manhood are prerequisite characteristics desired and demanded from every male individual born in Indian society. They are taught to become an 'Ideal Indian Man' from the time they are born. Critical reading of masculine attributes is an important facet of feminist discourse. Men who become a part of this quest and movement as 'women rights activists', fighting against gender inequality, are often ridiculed and discouraged. In this context, this paper brings out the narratives and struggles of being a male 'women human rights defender' in India. According to the information published on the official website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), women human rights defenders (WHRDs) are people of all genders who work, promote, defend, advance, and advocate for gender equality, and stand for the cause of human rights of women. Hence, going by the definition mentioned above, I argue that a feminist man working relentlessly on women's issues will surely fall under the category of 'women human rights defenders'. Their personal experiences and struggles as WHRDs working in their local areas voice varied forms of challenges, stigma, ostracisation, and life risks that otherwise go unnoticed, unspoken, and at times trivialised because of their gender. With an objective to bring out a broader conversation between masculinity studies and feminist scholarship, this paper analyses the challenges of being feminist male WHRDs. To examine this position as a WHRD, the paper will look into the questions of (1) being a man who is always looked upon with suspicion as a person occupying a privileged gender position; (2) a man working on gender-sensitive issues such as human/sex trafficking, child abuse, violence, conflict, and displacement; and (3) his regional location and social class. This paper will structure details of different forms of gender-based lived experiences of selected male WHRDs working in various districts of Assam and West Bengal, through personal interview methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framing sex trafficking as primarily a law enforcement and criminal justice issue, the U.S. State Department funds global South NGOs to work with the Indian legal system to strengthen prosecutions of sex trafficking cases. Though rescuing sex workers and training them to testify against alleged traffickers is key to these interventions, and though rescued sex workers do sometimes testify, my ethnographic research and interviews with NGOs, legal actors, and sex workers in India revealed that this is a rare occurrence. This article explores the reasons behind this reported pattern, as well as the challenges faced by those who do testify. Through these findings, it critically examines the possibilities and limitations of the prosecutorial focus of U.S.-driven, NGO-mediated anti-trafficking interventions. It situates anti-trafficking interventions centered on "victim-witness testimony" in the Indian socio-legal context, demonstrating how prosecution is shaped by a range of factors, circumstances, and contingencies involving foreign-funded NGOs, the procedures, political economy and culture of the Indian legal system, individual legal actors' motivations, and rescued sex workers' complex subjectivities, experiences, choices, and perceptions of justice. It draws upon and contextualizes these findings to challenge prevalent assumptions about the victimhood of global South sex workers, about global South legal systems necessarily lacking resources and commitment, and about anti-trafficking solutions rooted in criminal justice incontrovertibly benefiting survivors of sex trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking is commercial sex induced by fraud, force, or coercion, which is a form of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Women in any country of the world usually have less power, lower status, and lesser economic opportunities, and are not treated equally as men in their workforces and communities. These factors place females in a vulnerable position making them easy prey for sex traffickers. This study aimed to compare the meaning in life between survivors of sex trafficking and females from the general public. A total of 100 samples comprised this study, of which, 50 were female survivors of sex trafficking and 50 were females from the general public. The results show that for the current level of meaning in life, the p-value is .00, which is less than .05, hence there is a significant difference in the current level of meaning in life between the two groups. For the degree of searching for meaning in life, the p-value is .02, which is also less than .05, hence there is a significant difference in the degree of searching for meaning in life between the two groups. The mean for the current level of meaning in life is 67.09 for females from the general public, which is higher than the mean of 33.91 for female survivors of sex trafficking. For searching for meaning in life, the mean is 43.86 for females from the general public, which is lower than the mean of 57.14 for females rescued from sex trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While societal and structural factors often constrain women's agency in patriarchal settings, women nevertheless find creative ways to manifest and develop agency. Female sex workers (FSWs), in particular, are regularly assumed to have little or no agency, but an important body of literature suggests otherwise. To add to this knowledge, this study sought to answer the question: How do FSWs in Mumbai, India, exert agency in personal and professional contexts? In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 FSWs in the Kamathipura red-light area. Four themes emerged: (a) sex work as a rational and empowering choice, (b) resources and assets, (c) sex work as a means of achievement, and (d) managing violence, retribution, and fear. These themes reveal expressions of agency that illustrate how sex workers are intentional, rational, goal-oriented, and resilient. The findings of this study can contribute to the removal of stigma surrounding sex work and inform service providers working with this population in their efforts to treat sex workers with dignity and respect. Further research is needed in this area, especially which centers on the voices of the agentic sex workers themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human trafficking is a critical public health issue particularly pervasive in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP), which share a border with Nepal. Many NGOs are participating in prevention, protection, prosecution, and capacity building initiatives. The aim of this study was to identify factors hindering and enhancing the efficacy of anti-trafficking programs in the region.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal.Results: Thematic analysis revealed that the barriers hindering the anti-trafficking movement include police corruption, insufficient enforcement of national law, discrimination toward trafficking victims, inadequate funding, and lack of government involvement. Recommendations for overcoming these barriers were through empowering survivors and increasing cooperation, coordination, and communications between NGOs and the government.Conclusions: In mitigating these barriers and increasing survivor autonomy, anti-trafficking interventions have the opportunity to create individualized environments for those with an experience of trafficking to thrive. Ultimately, elevating community accountability, honoring individual autonomy, and recognizing the value of the persons with a lived experience of trafficking are critical as we continue to use a public health lens in the fight against human trafficking and for human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking has assumed serious proportions in India. Although India was the first country to adopt anti-trafficking interventions in its constitution (Suppression of Immoral Trafficking Act, 1950) and in spite of the fact that the country is a signatory to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, 2000, yet, the problem persists and thousands of females are trafficked every year. There is a serious lack of studies on antecedents of sex trafficking, as well as lack of interception model for prevention. In this paper, a model representing the dynamics of rescue/rehabilitation and retrafficking has been put forward. The distinct feature of this model is that it is grounded in the contextual realities of trafficking. It advocates for the creation of more personalized schemes to suit the individual needs for the rehabilitation, and reintegration. It espouses tailor made programs for rehabilitation, as 'one size' does not fit to all. The scope of the model is not limited to the Indian context; it could be generalized to other contexts also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking has persisted a social crime that maintains its status despite being unlawful. Since it prevails, there is a need to investigate it to understand the effects and consequences of the same on the survivors. The current study aims to understand the emotional needs of survivors post-rescue from sex trafficking living in aftercare homes in India and to look into survivors' suggestions post-rescue to NGOs, society, family, government and police. It included ten survivors from sex trafficking, ages between 18 to 24 years old. They are emerging adults who have experienced sex trafficking for at least one year, regardless of whether trafficking happened in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood, rescued one to five years ago. The researcher used a phenomenological approach. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes within the data collected from the participants. Findings revealed that survivors had got a better life after the rescue, and they need acceptance, respect, understanding, and they need to develop trust on people around them. They still have many challenges post-rescue such as lack of education and job opportunities. They need guidance to start a new life. Mostly, sex trafficking survivors need safety and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, girls' trafficking and the sex trade industries have intensified in contemporary South Asian nations, particularly in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. The sex trafficking of Nepali girls and women into Indian brothels has been widely discussed on both local and global levels. In this paper, I examine cases of Nepali girls and women who were trafficked and sold into Indian brothels and illustrate how trafficking of girls and women has occurred within the intersections of larger structural conditions and micro level factors. By using gender, intersectional, and globalization/transnational perspectives, I analyze the processes and conditions under which sex trafficking occurred and women were forced into prostitution. The paper draws on an earlier study, follow-up research, personal communications, and secondary data to explore why, how, and under what circumstances women are forced into prostitution; what factors make them vulnerable or susceptible to sex trafficking; and how do globalization and transnational practices, Nepal's political economy, women's roles and position in Nepali society, gender socialization and perception, gendered culture of oppression, and kin and ethnic relations contribute to the trafficking of Nepali into the Indian sex industry. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This field note explores how a hybrid social change organization based in India engaged in cross-sectoral collaboration with police and community-based sectors to address sex trafficking and advance both social change and service provision goals. Staff members successfully mobilized and engaged partners via insider tactics, ultimately improving the response of mainstream institutions to sex trafficking, while also strengthening individual services and community prevention efforts. An analysis of these partnerships offers transferable lessons on effective collaboration and the promise of an insider approach when mobilizing multiple sectors. Cross-sectoral collaboration may hold special promise for addressing complex social problems, like sex trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have documented the substantial risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection endured by sex-trafficked women, but it remains unclear how exposure to trafficking puts its victims at risk. We assessed whether the association between sex trafficking and HIV could be explained by self-reported forced prostitution or young age at entry into prostitution using cross-sectional data collected from 1,814 adult female sex workers in Karnataka, India, between August 2005 and August 2006. Marginal structural logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for HIV infection. Overall, 372 (21%) women met 1 or both criteria used to define sex trafficking: 278 (16%) began sex work before age 18 years, and 107 (5%) reported being forcibly prostituted. Thirteen (0.7%) met both criteria. Forcibly prostituted women were more likely to be HIV-infected than were women who joined the industry voluntarily, independent of age at entering prostitution (odds ratio = 2.30, 95% confidence interval: 1.08, 4.90). Conversely, after adjustment for forced prostitution and other confounders, no association between age at entry into prostitution and HIV was observed. The association between forced prostitution and HIV infection became stronger in the presence of sexual violence (odds ratio = 11.13, 95% confidence interval: 2.41, 51.40). These findings indicate that forced prostitution coupled with sexual violence probably explains the association between sex trafficking and HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking has assumed serious proportions in India. Although India was the first country to adopt anti-trafficking interventions in its constitution (Suppression of Immoral Trafficking Act, 1950) and in spite of the fact that the country is a signatory to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, 2000, yet, the problem persists and thousands of females are trafficked every year. There is a serious lack of studies on antecedents of sex trafficking, as well as lack of interception model for prevention. In this paper, a model representing the dynamics of rescue/rehabilitation and retrafficking has been put forward. The distinct feature of this model is that it is grounded in the contextual realities of trafficking. It advocates for the creation of more personalized schemes to suit the individual needs for the rehabilitation, and reintegration. It espouses tailor made programs for rehabilitation, as 'one size' does not fit to all. The scope of the model is not limited to the Indian context; it could be generalized to other contexts also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of sex trafficking as a mode of entry into sex work, and to examine associations between sex trafficking and recent violence experiences and HIV vulnerability among female sex workers (FSWs).Methods: In a cross-sectional study in 2006 in coastal Andhra Pradesh, India, 812 FSWs were recruited via respondent-driven sampling to take part in an oral survey of their experiences in sex work.Results: One in 5 (19.3%) FSWs met the UN definition of sex trafficking. Women trafficked into sex work were more likely than other FSWs to report recent violence experiences (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-2.81), more clients per week (AOR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.11-2.41), and more days of sex work per week (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.18-2.63), and were less likely to report use of FSW-focused services (AOR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.42-0.86). No significant differences emerged regarding HIV knowledge or consistent condom use.Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of sex trafficking. A history of sex trafficking was associated with a greater vulnerability to recent violence and HIV risk behaviors, underscoring the need for increased attention to the public health needs of trafficked populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the literature on trafficking in India there is a crucial dearth of primary data and micro studies that could be used for vulnerability mapping of the source areas and for addressing the risk factors identified. The article is a small attempt to contribute to plugging the gap in the context of Andhra Pradesh, identified as a ‘hot spot’ in the literature. It is based on case studies of 78 women who had been trafficked from their places of origin in Anantapur district to metropolitan cities across India and who have since returned to their homes. The article attempts to identify the individual and family circumstances that contribute to trafficking, to highlight in particular the gendered vulnerabilities that set these women up for trafficking, and to capture the process of the trafficking experience. The case studies reported here point to the compelling urgency of interventions that will go beyond the forced/voluntary divide in trafficking and sex work. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in children are not uncommon in India, though systematic epidemiological studies to determine the exact prevalence are not available. STDs in children can be acquired via sexual route or, uncommonly, via non-sexual route such as accidental inoculation by a diseased individual. Neonatal infections are almost always acquired intrauterine or during delivery. Voluntary indulgence in sexual activity is also an important factor in acquisition of STDs in childhood. Sexual abuse and sex trafficking remain the important problems in India. Surveys indicate that nearly half of the children are sexually abused. Most at risk children are street-based, homeless or those living in or near brothels. Last two decades have shown an increase in the prevalence of STDs in children, though most of the data is from northern part of the country and from major hospitals. However, due to better availability of antenatal care to majority of women, cases of congenital syphilis have declined consistently over the past two-three decades. Other bacterial STDs are also on decline. On the other hand, viral STDs such as genital herpes and anogenital warts are increasing. This reflects trends of STDs in the adult population. Concomitant HIV infection is uncommon in children. Comprehensive sex education, stringent laws to prevent sex trafficking and child sexual abuse, and antenatal screening of all the women can reduce the prevalence of STDs in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To qualitatively explore potential mechanisms that may confer heightened risk for HIV infection among survivors of sex trafficking in India.Methods: Case narratives of 61 repatriated women and girls who reported being trafficked into sex work and were receiving services at an NGO in Mysore, India, were reviewed. Narratives were analyzed to examine potential sources of HIV risk related to sex trafficking.Results: Participants were aged 14-30 years. Among the 48 women and girls tested for HIV, 45.8% were HIV positive. Narratives described very low levels of autonomy, with control exacted by brothel managers and traffickers. Lack of control appeared to heighten trafficked women and girls' vulnerability to HIV infection in the following ways: use of violent rape as a means of coercing initiation into sex work, inability to refuse sex, inability to use condoms or negotiate use, substance use as a coping strategy, and inadequate access to health care.Conclusion: Sex trafficked women and girls lack autonomy and are rendered vulnerable to HIV infection through several means. Development of HIV prevention strategies specifically designed to deal with lack of autonomy and reach sex-trafficked women and girls is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies the HIV prevalence and predictors among rescued prostitutes in Mumbai, India. The rapid spread of India's HIV epidemic through commercial sex and the large number of minor prostitutes who are infected with HIV virus and being trafficked to India for sex actuations. It is recommended that there should be an immediate attention to the increasing HIV infections among minor victims of the prostitution as a form of HIV prevention.

• The nature of trafficking in India is surreptitious and transnational. • Young girls from socio-economically marginalized groups are more vulnerable. • There is an increasing demand for virgins, partly fuelled by the fear of STD. • New origin and destinations is being controlled by the organized crime mafia. Female trafficking for sexual exploitation (SE) is one of the major problems in India. Young females are particularly vulnerable to this crime. Existing state machinery is somewhat deficient in its tactical and technical doctrines to combat the challenges posed in this regard. The current study attempted to understand the spatiality of female trafficking in India, which can inform combat strategies. We considered a systematic review of published quantitative and qualitative kinds of literature. Potentially relevant articles for systematic review were identified by searching bibliographical databases. A mixed-method was deployed to analyze deemed necessary for inclusion of female trafficking for sexual exploitations. Data were analyzed qualitatively by using thematic analysis and using Arc-GIS to appreciate the data geographically. The results were collated and analyzed concerning fulfilling the key objectives of the review. A large number of children and women trafficked for SE in India. Trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation occurs particularly in poverty-stricken regions and vulnerable populations. Tribal people have mainly been pushed into such activities. Additionally, it has given an opportunity for the enormous potential profits for those syndicates that were set up for organized crimes and independent traffickers. It is the fundamental right of women and children to be protected from any forms of trafficking and to be treated with dignity. Therefore, it requires a comprehensive anti-human trafficking strategy that embedded in a human rights approach since the violation of human rights is both the cause as well as the consequence of human trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking remains a flagrant violation of human rights, creating many public health concerns. During the initiation period, these victims experience acts of violence including gang rapes, subjecting them to traumatic injuries that include burns. Furthermore, lack of access to health care, particularly surgical, keeps them from receiving treatment for these functionally debilitating contractures caused by burns. This piece provides an overview of burns among sex-trafficked victims in India and the efforts by Cents of Relief to address the associated surgical burden of disease.