A girl child used for flesh trade rescued

 In India, there is a large number of children trafficked for various reasons such as labour, begging, and sexual exploitation. Every year hundreds of under-aged girls are unknowingly forced into flesh trade and used for making money. CHILDLINE came across a similar case at Bhubaneswar where a 16-year-old girl child repeatedly faced physical and sexual assault by a man who married her.

A young girl standing at Bhubaneswar Railway Station was accompanied by a middle-aged man and seemed to be in a wretched state when the volunteers of an NGO informed GRP about the suspicious situation. When GRP officials started interrogating the man about the girl, he got nervous and fled away from there. The child began to cry and was found to be in an emotionally and physically abysmal condition. Looking at the situation, GRP decided to hand her over to CHILDLINE for further intervention. CHILDLINE team arrived and the child was shifted to one of the child care institutions where she was counselled carefully.

After a few days, the girl came to senses and finally succumbed to speak up. The child informed the CHILDLINE team that she used to live with her father, a differently abled person and mother in district Jagatsinghpur. While the child was returning from school, she was kidnapped from the road in a Bolero van by a man named Pradhan (name changed) who belonged to her village, accompanied by other men and they took her to Chennai. She was shocked by the situation but the next tragedy awaited her when Pradhan and all his friends took advantage of the situation and raped her. She was also beaten up brutally and was seriously traumatized. Pradhan locked her up in the room and every day brought some people who used to rape the child in the room. Pradhan used her as a prostitute and used to collect Rs. 5000 to 10,000 from each person.

After two months, she met one of her villagers and returned back to her village with him. But, she did not disclose her brutal sufferings to any family members or anybody as Pradhan threatened her that if she disclosed the matter, her entire family will be killed. But the villagers and family members talked to Pradhan. He admitted that he kidnapped her and agreed to marry her as he kept sexual relation with her. In fear and apprehension, she got married to Pradhan. But she was again tortured by Pradhan and was used as a prostitute to entertain other men. She even tried to escape but failed. After a few days, Pradhan brought her to Bhubaneswar Railway Station where the volunteers of an NGO took notice of her, informed GRP and with CHILDLINE team rescued the girl.

CHILDLINE was constantly in touch with the child and provided emotional support to the child while she was at child care home. The matter was informed to the police station and an FIR was lodged mentioning all relevant sections under IPC and POCSO Act following which the accused was arrested. Currently the girl is kept at the child care institution by order of the Child Welfare Committee for better care and protection.