Nepal earthquake survivors targeted by human trafficking rings posing as rescue workers
In the aftermath of Nepal’s earthquake devastation comes reports that human trafficking rings have infiltrated relief efforts and are attempting to lure the women into “jobs” at brothels.
According to the UN and local NGOs, between 12,000 and 15,000 girls are trafficked in Nepal each year, but the devastation is proving to be the perfect cover for fake opportunities which trap women in the sex trade industry.
Sunita Danuwar, director of a NGO in Kathmandu said, “This is the time when the brokers go in the name of relief to kidnap or lure women. We are distributing assistance to make people aware that someone might come to lure them. We are getting reports of [individuals] pretending to go for rescuing and looking at people.”
The Guardian spoke to a Nepali trafficking victim who escaped after police raided the brothel where she was forced to have sex with 20 to 30 men a day.
“I am worried now for the other girls who might be taken away. They will need the money and be tempted if someone talks to them about a job. Then the same thing will happen to them as happened to me,” the women, 20, told the paper.
“There is nothing like an emergency when there is chaos for opportunities to … traffic more women. There is a great chance that everything that is bad happening in Nepal could scale up,” said one Senior aid officla at the country’s capital.
“The earthquake will definitely increase the risk of abuse,” said Rashmita Shashtra, a local healthworker. “People here are now desperate and will take any chance. There are spotters in the villages who convince family members and local brokers who do the deal. We know who they are.”