The term “Human Trafficking” describes the forced labor and sexual exploitation of humans. Two out of every three victims of human trafficking are girls. The reality is that these trafficked and exploited children are kept like slaves without enough food, shelter, or clothing. They are frequently severely abused and cut off from all contact with their families. They are sometimes sold by a family member or acquaintance. Mostly, they are drawn in by false promises of education and a better life. Children are frequently trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation, labor, or being made to engage in physical count.

What is Human Trafficking?

The trade of human beings for forced labor, unauthorized immigration, or sexual slavery, including the sale of individuals who are personally or commercially enslaved, is known as trafficking. Two forms of trafficking are commonly observed: forced labor and sexual exploitation. All ages, races, and ethnicities have been victims of this horrible crime. It has stripped men, women, and children of their rights and dignity. One of the biggest threats to the economic security of the nations is trafficking and its black market. According to a report published in 2022, there are an estimated 8 million trafficking victims in India. The majority of whom are bonded laborers.

The following are a few of the major landmark decisions that the legal system has made to combat and prevent human trafficking in our country:

Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India 

In this landmark decision, the Supreme Court recognized trafficking as an organized crime and defined it in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organization Crime UNCTOC’s optional protocol. The court also issued an order prohibiting the use of children in circuses. It was also determined that no child should be deprived of his fundamental right guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, brought into child trafficking, or subject to physical or emotional abuse. If you know someone who is being abused, you may REPORT ABUSE and you also DONATE.

Vishal Jeet v. Union of India

In this Supreme Court decision addressed child prostitution in the context of human trafficking and served as a stepping-stone to the same. The Supreme Court issued guidelines for protecting and rehabilitating children sold by pimps and brokers for the flesh trade, as well as those forced into the pits of devadasis by their families or for cultural reasons. The honorable court also ruled that the handling of these delicate cases should take a humanistic approach rather than a legal one.

Few cases of Human Trafficking

A man reunited with his family after 16 years

At the age of nine, a man named Monu Sharma was abducted and taken to Rajasthan. He got a new name there, ‘Raju’. He was forced to graze goats and physically abused for disobedience. Once he described his story to a truck driver, the driver assisted him in making his escape. He forced him to board a train to Dehradun after handing him a paper note outlining how to contact the police in the city.

When he arrived in Dehradun, he went to the police station and reported his condition. Police circulated his photograph throughout the village because he could not recall the names of his family members. Asha Sharma, from Dehradun’s Brahman Wala area, identified Monu as her missing son. Asha talked about some of his childhood memories, which he remembered, and it was confirmed that he was her son. Before returning home, they were reunited in a flood of emotions.

Case of Tamil Nadu Brick Kiln (2018)

More than forty bonded laborers, including children, were freed from a brick kiln in 2018 by Tamil Nadu authorities. These people were taken from Odisha by traffickers and forced to live in appalling conditions with little money and tight mobility limitations. They were made to labor long hours without access to basic requirements in dangerous settings where they were frequently threatened. The case brought to light the problem of bonded labor in India, where disadvantaged communities are exploited for financial gain. In combating labor exploitation and human trafficking in the area, this rescue effort was a major step forward.

Human trafficking not only impedes the growth of both developed and developing countries, but it also harms the national economy. It poses a significant threat to a nation’s economic security. It also poses a threat to a country’s national security because the profits from this can be used to fund other illegal activities. The huge profits made from this criminal business do not contribute to the nation’s GDP. Exploitation is a crime in which the underprivileged are exploited daily. It also undermines the rule of law and harms the nation, its people, and communities.

All forms of human trafficking in India must be investigated, prosecuted, and convicted more frequently. We must be more alert and aware of the exploitative nature of society’s underprivileged and vulnerable groups. Fast-track courts should be established to address the issue of trafficking and provide victims with justice and compensation as soon as possible. Many victims must wait years before receiving government-mandated compensation. We also need to treat everyone equally and pay special attention to the most vulnerable members of society so that they are less likely to fall into these traps.