State records slight drop in human trafficking cases

Panaji: Goa recorded a slight drop in cases of human trafficking in 2021, according to statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Fifteen such cases were logged last year as opposed to 17 in 2020. This count is much lower when compared to 2019 which saw 38 cases.
The conviction rate, however, continued to be zero.
The figures revealed that 35 victims of human trafficking were rescued in 2021, all of which were Indians. Of these, 29 were trafficked for sexual exploitation while six were victims of domestic servitude.
“The Goa police registered a maximum number of cases and rescued a maximum number of survivors from sex trafficking (according to per capita population) in India in 2021. But unfortunately, like the year 2020, the conviction rate in cases of human trafficking has been zero,” said Arun Pandey, the director of Anyay Raahit Zindagi (ARZ) an anti-sex trafficking organisation.
Although 26 persons were arrested for human trafficking in Goa, not a single one has been convicted in 2021 and three accused have been acquitted.
“The NCRB report establishes that Goa is increasingly becoming a destination state. To control sex trafficking, it is important that the state government collaborate with the source states to prosecute the traffickers and act against online commercial sexual activities. There is also a need for review the cause for poor conviction rate in the cases of sex trafficking in Goa,” Pandey said.
He further stressed that the police and other law enforcement agencies in Goa, in collaboration with the agencies in source states should continue efforts to combat sex trafficking.
“Goa police should not loosen its guard, or it will send a message to traffickers that Goa is a safe state for sex trafficking,” he added.
As per the NCRB report in 2020, 17 cases of sex trafficking were registered in the state. There were 30 girls rescued and chargesheet was filed in 95.2% cases.