It is estimated that two million children are sold into the sex trade every year. Of those, 500,000 of them are trafficked in India alone.
While the Government of India has slowly implemented different procedures to better identify victims of human trafficking, locate incidents of bonded labor, and identify perpetrators and their culpability in the trafficking, the problem is growing faster than the solutions are being provided.
In 2021, the Government of India has made identifying perpetrators possible, but the legal process of prosecuting these traffickers and then bringing them to justice is still significantly lacking. Overall anti-trafficking efforts, especially against bonded labor, remained inadequate. According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2021 Trafficking report of India, the changes made still did not have a significant effect on convictions. The government achieved fewer convictions, and the acquittal rate for traffickers remained high at 73 percent.
There is still so much that must be done to ensure that victims of human trafficking are rescued, protected, and given justice but we are partnered with an organization that is at the front lines of this fight.
Freedom Firm works tirelessly to end child sex trafficking in India. They accomplish this by identifying victims and perpetrators of sex trafficking, mobilizing law enforcement agencies to rescue victims and arrest perpetrators, assisting the legal system during prosecution, and enabling rescued girls to engage in effective rehabilitation.
Their work impacts the lives of so many children across India and last year one girl, in particular, was among them.
Meet Tara: 14 years old
Pictured: Tara with her face blurred for protection.
Tara is a 14-year-old girl rescued by Freedom Firm in July of 2021. Upon meeting Tara, the team noted that she was well-spoken and connected quickly to the social workers. They even noted an innocence to her they picked up on immediately. Her mother was a prostitute and once Tara had no one to care for her, she became involved in prostitution as well to survive day to day.
Once she was rescued, Tara was placed in a shelter home in Nagpur for four and a half months when the restoration process began. She attended life skill classes conducted by Freedom Firm and loved the activities hosted within the shelter. After thoroughly enjoying the learning and the life for her in the shelter, Tara was transferred to a home in Dholpur, Rajasthan. Social workers will regularly check in on Tara to see her on her healing journey. She has been given a private lawyer, a charge sheet has been filed and her case is beginning to be heard.
Thankfully, Tara is continuing to heal in a shelter in her hometown, but continued prayer for her safety and for her to continue to cultivate the skills she learned in the home is a key part of her ongoing journey.
Your generous support is vital to the restoration work being done by Freedom Firm for young girls like Tara.
While it was Tara last year, we can not wait to know the next young girl whose life will be radically changed by the incredible work of our partner. We can’t wait to see her picture, to hear her story, to say her name. When we hear about the girl Freedom Firm rescued, we can’t wait to share her story with you.
We cannot do it without you.
Come alongside us to make the work being done in India possible. It costs $6,000 for our partner, Freedom Firm, to rescue one sex trafficking victim in India and begin the aftercare process. We are striving to raise $7,200 for our partners to ensure they can continue to provide incredible care for girls like Tara.
When you give financially, they can heal holistically.
Give today and be an Ally for girls like Tara.
Help us meet our $6,000 goal to rescue one girl and give a one-time donation.
$24 a month or more provides freedom and further’s the mission of prevention and restoration.
Resources:
https://www.freedomfirm.org
https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/india/