Panaji: Around 50% of the women rescued from sex traffickers are in the age group of 18 to 25 years, with the maximum number of victims rescued from the Calangute police station jurisdiction, a study says. The study adds that many of those rescued were minors.
“The largest group of rescued individuals (88 girls and women) falls within the age range of 18-25 years, demonstrating that young adults are also highly vulnerable to trafficking,” says the recent study carried out by an NGO, Arz (Anyay Rahit Zindagi), titled ‘Sex Trafficking in Goa: Situation and Intervention (2019-2024)’.
The study adds, “The impact of Covid-19, which disrupted education and increased unemployment, particularly among educated youth, has exacerbated this vulnerability.”
Four girls rescued were younger than 18, the study says and adds that 85 of those rescued were in the 18-25 age group, 72 in the 26-35 age group, and 11 above 35.
The data indicates that the number of girls younger than 18 targeted for commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) is relatively low. This is largely due to the nature of CSE, which entails taking victims to clients at hotels, lodges, flats, or massage parlours.
“Minors are more easily identified, increasing the risk of exposure for traffickers,” said Arun Pandey of Arz. “Additionally, the enforcement of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, which mandates stricter punishment for those involved in the sexual exploitation of minors, has acted as a deterrent, making traffickers less likely to involve minors in CSE.”
Pandey said it is important to note that the analysis reflects the victims’ age at the time of rescue, not when they were first trafficked.
“Many rescued victims in Goa were trafficked as minors, particularly from states such as Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Delhi, and spent years in prostitution,” Pandey said. “However, obtaining accurate data on their trafficking as minors is challenging. It appears that traffickers are extremely cautious when it comes to the exploitation of minors.”
The study says traffickers often confine the minors in red-light areas for years before moving them to other parts of the country for CSE. This confinement helps traffickers avoid detection while preparing the victims for exploitation later.
“The 26-35 age group accounts for 72 rescues, indicating that women in their late 20s and early 30s are also at significant risk,” Pandey said. “Many of these cases involve women who lost their jobs during the pandemic, depleted their savings, and became susceptible to trafficking.”
Eleven rescues involved victims who were 36 years old or older.
“This data highlights the need for rescue efforts that address victims of all ages, as both minors and adults face severe CSE,” the study says.