The girls waited anxiously as the madam entered the room with a customer. Upon instruction, they immediately formed a line as the customer inspected each girl carefully. Pointing at Priya*, the customer reached for his wallet and paid the madam. The others breathed a sigh of relief as Priya walked down a narrow corridor and into a private room. Standing in the corner, Priya waited for the man, who would be the sixth customer she attended to that day. Soon, she heard footsteps in the corridor as the door creaked open. The customer walked in with a lit cigarette and a beer bottle – the sight of which triggered a horrid memory.
Since early childhood, Priya could not recall a time when she saw her father sober. His income could not sustain his alcohol addiction, so he borrowed money from a friend named Ameen*. Over time, his debt grew to exceed $1300, an amount he could never imagine paying back. Aware that Priya’s father was not in a position to repay the debt, Ameen offered an alternative – to have Priya marry his relative. Her father agreed.
At 15, Priya was married to a complete stranger and taken to Bihar where she was promised a new life. However, once there, Priya was sold to a brothel where she was sexually assaulted, mentally tortured and physically abused for over 20 months. Priya was never allowed to leave the brothel or talk to any outsiders. She remained under the constant watch of the owner who pocketed all the money paid by the customers.
All Priya wanted was one chance to escape from the brothel – just one opportunity that would allow her to leave that life behind.
Through verified sources, JVI and one of its local partners were informed that minors were being exploited in the brothel. JVI’s advocacy team shared this information with local authorities and drew up an action plan for a rescue intervention. A team of 45 police officials was tasked with rescuing the minors.
On July 29, 2021, JVI and its partner led the rescue team to the brothel where 6 minors, including Priya, were rescued and 19 accused were arrested, including a close aide of one of the most notorious traffickers in Bihar. These arrests were vital for the police to gather further intel into trafficking hubs and routes which could potentially prevent numerous other victims from being trafficked in the future.
JVI team members ensured the victims were removed from the brothel while the police gathered evidence from within the premises. The survivors received a medical check-up at a local hospital before the recording of their official statements.
Priya spoke boldly against her owners and gave a powerful statement which formed the basis for an official police complaint. The survivors were then transferred to a children’s home by the local Child Welfare Committee (CWC). JVI and its local partners are working closely with the authorities to conduct Home Inquiry Reports (HIR) to ascertain whether survivors are at risk for being re-trafficked if they are returned to their homes. The JVI team will oversee the personal and social development of the survivors over the next 24 months. Under JVI’s Aftercare program, Priya and the other girls will have access to professional counseling and other support.
Though the road to recovery is long, Priya has shown immense growth and determination despite her suffering. She is well on her way to a life of freedom, dignity and hope.
*Names changed to protect the identity of the survivors
