A Trafficked Woman, A Young Hotel Cleaner: Poverty’s Children Of Kishanganj

Guddi (name changed) is 18 and comes from a very poor family in Kish­anganj. Her marriage was mediated by an acquaintance. Eve­r­­ything happened according to Islamic rituals, and in the presence of both families. The mediator owned an iron grill shop where her husband used to work. He provided the couple work and space to live in his shop. Then her nightmare began. The shop-owner would send her husband away on the pretext of business and rape her. When she resisted, he threatened to kill her. The abuse continued.

In September 2020, the shop-owner took Gud­di out on the pretext of making her an Aad­haar card. They took a bus from Kishan­ganj. When Guddi inquired why they were taking a bus, he said they were going to a place whe­re they make Aadhaar cards for free. This is how he lured her to Begusarai, where she was sold to traffickers.