Project Aasara

Project Aasara

Human Trafficking
The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, stretching from the Arabian Sea (W) to the Bay of Bengal (E), bordering Pakistan (W); China, Nepal, and Bhutan (N); Bangladesh (NE); and Myanmar (E). New Delhi is its capital and Bombay (Mumbai) its largest city.Internal trafficking of women, men, and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, bonded labor, and indentured servitude is widespread. Numerous studies show that the vast majority of females in the Indian commercial sex industry are currently victims of sexual servitude or were originally trafficked into the sex trade.
IMMORAL TRAFFICKING IN ANDHRAPRADESH PRESENT SCENARIO

Andhra pradesh is the 5th largest state of India. Literacy rate is 61%. AP is one of the pioneering states for ushering the economic reform policies. The trafficking, sale and prostitution of girl children have become major problem in Andhra Pradesh particularly in Coastal Andhra.
The Smoothest (although illegal) and least intervened rate of trafficking of children in prostitution is second generation prostitution i.e. the induction of children of prostitutes into sexual slavery. In fact it is considered normal to have a prostitution. The mere fact of the child’s birth limits its options severally. The abuse of the child starts from its early childhood itself.These children live in the brothels with their mothers who have no claims over the brothel. In the evening the brothels get ready to entertain the customers and the children are declared hurdles in the brothels unless they can take up some supplementary jobs such as running errands for the customers to fetch drinks, tea and paan etc., Their mothers are busy until late at night. Without access to the brothels, these children sleep on the streets at night or outside the shops in the horrendous surrounding of the prostitution localities.If they interact with the outside world, they are treated with severe condemnation. If they confine themselves to the prostitution localities, the pimps, procurers , and henchmen become their role models. A girl is invariably inducted into prostitution of her mother and the boy is forged into some such role as pimp etc., At a much younger age, the girls are subjected to sexual abuse by the customers. By the age of 13, the girl child is made to entertain customers regularly.
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT RESCUE & REHABILITATION POLICY
Andhrapradesh Government has constituted a state level coordination committee on prostitution and child trafficking. The government released policy on Rescue and Rehabilitation. The GO released by AP mentions all the issues and that HIV/AIDS is increasing in the state. The government has constituted a district level committee. The government has also elucidated what can be done to prevent prostitution. The government has also a set of anti-trafficking measures - an anti-trafficking squad comprising of an officer, social workers etc. The district committee shall, in case of rescue, arrange immediately for a shelter facility.
LAUNCHING OF PROJECT AASARA IN NALGONDA DISTRICT

The temple town Yadagirigutta in Nalgonda District of Andhrapradesh with its holy surroundings is a place of prominent pilgrimage where thousands of people visit with pious feelings to offer their prayers and get holy blessings of God. It is very painful to hear that this pious atmosphere is spoiled and feelings of pilgrims are vitiated with the presence of organized prostitution of Dommara community people. Having practically no contact with the rest of the society, they perceive the world as a place where all women sell their bodies to make a living and men earn money by procuring clients for their mothers. Those girls who attain puberty cannot evade the evil eyes of the customers who visit their mothers, and soon fall prey to them.The closest role model for a female child is her mother who is either a sex worker or a brothel keeper. Most female children by the time they have reached puberty, have had sexual experiences. Unlike other communities in India which dread the birth of a girl child and idolize sons, here is one instance where she is very much wanted. “A Daughter is an insurance policy for sex workers” is how the community looks at a birth of a girl child, who, when they become too old to attract customers, are unable to find another source of income. If she enters the sex trade, she becomes a source of security for her mother in her old age, a source of income to the brothel keeper, pimp and procurer and a pawn to the moneylender.
For the male children of sex workers, the closest role models are the pimp, the smuggler and the drug addict. Due to lack of employment opportunities, a low level of academic achievement and a lack of healthful recreational activities, male children get dragged into pimping and procuring
The History of prostitution by Dommara community It all began with the King of Mutli once known as Chitival who was known to conduct competition between gymnasts from far and near. People from various sections of castes and classes represented in the event displaying their talent and strength in return for the praise of the King. During such event, a dommara named Polerigadu participated and pleased the king who in turn gifted him a ring as well as a royal edict was passed stating that the wearer of the ring would from now should head the Dommara Class and his descendants would fall under the same caste. The ring then given is said to be the same that is now worn by the head of the Dommara clan of Chitival, which bears an inscription in Telugu declaring that the wearer is the high Priest or Guru of all the Dommara. He is the high priest and exercises supreme jurisdiction over the community both in spiritual and temporal matters.The dommara community is traditionally considered to be wanderers who engage themselves as athletic performers as a custom as well as a means of livelihood. They are called as Dommara, Dombari and Domber in various places as the form of Dom, which is the outcaste community in the Northern India. In the hierarchy of caste they fall just above Pariahs and Madigas. Traditionally, they are engaged in hunting fish, mat making, donkey and pig rearing. Their food habits include eating cats, pigs etc. They marry one person, but keep concubines for pleasure, which finally resulted in hereditary prostitution. Areas of prostitution are not only places where men go to buy sex. They are also places where all generations live together, where children play , work, study and grow up.
The girl children in the community traditionally are forced into prostitution once they attain puberty by their own parents. In a family of girl children, the eldest daughter is fully made aware that the tribal survival totally depends on her being a prostitute and hence is not permitted to marry. Whereas the younger daughters are allowed to marry, but, in all the cases, the husbands encourage their wife to enter into prostitution and she earns between Rs. 5 to Rs. 50 per customer. hence this community is economically organized around a system of child prostitution which has a traditional & cultural sanction.
Dommara Prostitutes also called as 'Venkatasanis' are spread out over the tribal region of the Telengana Districts (Warangal, Nizamabad, Medak, Karimnagar and Nalgonda) in Andhra Pradesh.Whereas the boy children are used as pimp, procurer or labourer in the flesh market. Each Dommara has an average of 4-5 children regardless of her marital status. Whereas none of the men in the tribe have work and spend most of their day idle and also acting as brokers and pimps and traffickers.
LIGHTING THE LAMP
On 21-04-2005 in a special drive at Yadagirigutta by Nalgonda Police, 15 pimps & organizers were arrested U/s 3,4,5,7 of ITPA and remaining 35 prostitutes were arrested U/s 8 of ITPA & 294 IPC. At the same time we promised to ladies in prostitution business for rehabilitation of them and their wards. We have identified around 77 Childrens of prostitutes staying at Yadagirigutta. Out of which, 21 are not going to any school and likelihood of joining same profession are there. The parents were found eager to join their wards into school.
With a mission of fight against crime and not against criminal project AASARA is launched on 19-05-2005 at Yadagirigutta. Since this is a age old menace and it is coupled with several sensitive issues the problem is being tackled with human touch.
Partners in aasara project
GOVERNMENT ORGNIZATIONS (Departments):1. Revenue 2. Police 3. DRDA & Velgu 4. Women and Child Welfare 5. Education 6. Health 7. Panchayat raj 8. Public Representatives like MLA’s, MP’s and others. 9. State Bank of Hyderabad 10. BC Corporation
NON – GOVERNMENTAL ORGNIZATIONS:1. Child & Police (CAP) /SARIQUE project 2. RED Cross Organization Nalgonda unit 3. Prajwala-Women Organization, Hyderabad 4. Others

As the first step of this project we have admitted 21 children into the ResidentialBridgeSchool at Yadagirigutta to have a bright future. The MLA Alair, Dr.Nagesh who attended the programme on the launching day assured that he will acquire 20 acres of land to construct houses as well as to develop horticulture for the ladies in the immoral trafficking business at Yadagirigutta with buy back system in connecting with temple authorities. Red Cross Society is going to conduct health camp . B.C. Corporation is going to admit 21 school children into hostel once bridge school is over.

ACTIVITIES UNDER PROJECT AASARA

1. ENFORCEMENT & PREVENTION:

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

All the immoral trafficking organizers & women in the prostitution business are being identified in entire Nalgonda District. Organizers who are frequently indulging in immoral trafficking are being booked under Andhra Pradesh Organized Crime Act. History sheets are being prepared and opened against them. Potential areas, which supply majority of girls and women to this business being lured by immoral traffickers, are being identified and the efforts of the programme will be focused on these areas towards prevention of immoral trafficking. After the inception of the programme, in a span of 8 months, 70 cases have been booked in the district, under sections 3,4,5,7 & 8 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, resulting in the arrest of 250 organizers, procurers, pimps, traffickers and rescued sex workers by the police. History sheets of organizers have also been prepared and opened for surveillance. Raids were also conducted on Spring land and Green View Resorts located in the project area and 240 persons were arrested for carrying out immoral activities at these resorts (public places).
Following are the results of the efforts made towards enforcement and prevention:
Enforcement of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (from19/04/2005 to 10/03/2006)Out of 70 cases booked under section 3,4,& 7 of act against 250 organizers, procurers & pimps 68 are pending trial in a Court of Law where as 2 cases ended in acquittal. Out of 240 cases booked under section 294 of Indian Penal code for Obscene or Immoral activities at public place 211 cases ended in conviction & 29 cases are under pending trials.
Following persons have been identified as prostitution organizers.
1. Kamsani Yadagiri S/o Gangaiah, 32 years,
2. Kamsani Shankar S/o Yellaiah, 42 years.
3. Kamsani Dasaradha S/o Gandaiah, 30 years
4. Kamsani Kumari W/o Gandaiah, 37 years
5. Kamsani Yasodha W/o Nagabushanam, 40 years,
6. Kamsani Suseela W/o Satyanarayana, 40 years,
7. Kamsani Andalu W/0 Ravi, 27 years
8. Kamsani Saroja W/o Ramchender, 45 years,
9. Kamsani Sudhershan S/o Ramachander, 42 years all are Dommari by caste and R/o Yadagirigutta.
Organizers who are living on the earnings through the business of prostitution are being booked under AP organized crime act if they are found involved in two or more offences. As per the provisions under Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, Magistrates have served notices to trafficking organizers for attachment of their properties which is earned through immoral trafficking business.

2 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT / REINTEGRATION:

The empowerment of women is the process by which women gain power and control over decisions and resources that determine the quality of their lives. It recognizes women not as victims or beneficiaries, but as key actors for development.
“There is now overwhelming evidence that women’s empowerment through schooling, employment opportunities, etc., has the most far-reaching effects on the lives of all – men, women and children.”-- Amartya Sen
Victims of human trafficking face major problems in being reintegrated into their parent communities when they are freed from the situations into which they were trafficked. Social stigma and mental and emotional scars need to be overcome during the process of reintegration. Victimized women, in most of the cases, are treated by law enforcement authorities as criminals, either for prostitution or illegal migration, and thus face additional problems in getting employment or in being initiated into other forms of reintegration. In such circumstances, assisting the victims to resettle and enable them to start a new life is a daunting challenge. These communities do not own agricultural land for cultivation. As a result, they have to depend on agricultural labor for earning. Working as coolies/laborers fetches them only about Rs. 20/- to Rs.30/- per day, whereas a sex worker earns about Rs. 250/- on an average per day.
Different organizations were therefore approached and requested to help us in the endeavor. We were immensely happy to see that many organizations–both Government and non Government-came forward to complement our efforts.
The Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and World Bank sponsored Velgu project facilitated organizing four Self Help Groups consisting of 26 women members from Dommara community. The District Collector also launched a training programme organized under Indira Kranti Pathakam scheme and the District Rural Development Agency. The members were given training for two months to make agarbattis (incense sticks), plates and bowls of dry leaves, baskets and were also imparted training to learn tailoring at Yadgirigutta in order to provide them with the alternative sources of livelihood. District collector made Rs. 3.5 lakhs available as microfinance to these groups to start their activities.

The process is now on to help they explore the market for their products to make the economic activities of the said Self Help Groups sustainable.
The State Bank of Hyderabad also provided a grant of Rs. 1.5 lakhs for the women groups to purchase machinery to manufacture various products.
District administration has also sanctioned 40 houses for the people of Dommara community to complement our efforts to reduce the prostitution.
Two girls namely Kamsani Uma and Kamsani Manjula have been appointed as Home Guards with Police Department otherwise they could have been dragged into hereditary profession of prostitution.
One young girl student, namely, Kamsani Rekha D/o Gandaiah, 17 yrs., is studying in the intermediate at Bhongir town with Police as mentor. She wants to become first lady Doctor from her community & to serve them.
Under “Vimukthi” programme that was organized by the Police Department, two girls were rescued from the clutches of the organizers of the brothel houses. They have been rehabilitated in Hyderabad.
The Mandal Revenue Officer, Yadagirigutta has issued 50 cards to the families of the Dommara community under Antyodaya (AAY) Scheme on request of the Police Department.
One month training was imparted to 12 youth from Dommara community, who are the children of sex workers. These young men have now been employed as security guards for the security of Yadgirigutta temple. But for this intervention, these men would have been indulging in organizing trafficking activities acting as pimps, procurers etc.
As a part of rehabilitation and providing alternative sources of livelihood to sex workers, training was imparted to candidates at Yadagirigutta (v) under Child and Police (CAP) / SARIQUE project, with 100% employment guarantee. Training was imparted in different vocational fields like white goods servicing, Information Technology, customer relations & marketing and automobile. About 70 persons have got jobs in Hyderabad & surrounding areas with salaries, ranging from Rs.1500-4500.They have undergone training in following trades.
01. AM = Automobile Mechanic (2/3 Wheeler)
02. M SW = Multi skilled Worker (Electrician)
03. HCNA = Home care Nursing Assistance (Nursing)
04. CRS = Customer Relations & Sales (Marketing)

Thousand miles of journey started with a single, scintillating, successful step…
CHILD AND POLICE PROJECT - SARIQ
Completion Report of First Batch
YADAGIRI GUTTA
EMPOWERMENT TRAINING PROGRAM OF CAP - SARIQ
INTRODUCTION
In August – 2005 CAP - SARIQ and the Empowerment of Migrants Project.
CHILD AND POLICE PROJECT - SARIQ is a unique collaboration between Director of SARIQ and CAP. The CAP - SARIQ aims to provide a change in the lives of young adults from economically weak backgrounds and an opportunity to assimilate into the competitive job market. CAP will help them acquire the required livelihood and social skills in an environment of learning and mentoring that is responsive to the individuals emotional and development needs.
ABOUT CAP:
The Child And Police Project – Sari/Q attempts to bridge the ever-widening divide between those who have access to opportunities and those who are increasingly being marginalized from the new jobs in the new economy. On one hand is the ever growing and constantly changing need of the various sectors in the new market economy for a skilled workforce. On the other is the very serious problems businesses and industry face in terms of turnover rates, leading to escalating investments on human resources. The secret to “Higher Retention rates” (with an aim to a positive ROI) has been long eluding the HR Professionals.