COMMERCIALISATION OF CHILDREN

NAME OF THE DOCUMENTARY- INDIA’S CHILD SEX HIGHWAY

(https://youtu.be/9ORknPCFBCM?si=39LVaLK3cFR6RKu8)

SUBMITTED TO- Ms. ANKITA KUMAR GUPTA

SUBMITTED BY -

S.NO. NAME ENROLLMENT SECTION

1 AMULYA KAUSHIK 11117703819 9-C

2 ANCHAL VIMAL 14317703819 9-C

3 PARITOSH MAHAL 14017703819 9-C

4 SIMRAN CHAUDHARY 16817703819 9-D

5 JAYA ARYA 18817703819 9-D

6 ABHINANDAN GOYAL 36017703819 9-B

TEAM LEADER - JAYA ARYA

VIVEKANANDA INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

 INTRODUCTION

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) refers to a “range of crimes and activities
involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child for the financial benefit of any person or in
exchange for anything of value (including monetary and non-monetary benefits) given or
received by any person.” It is considered normative and expected among some Indian castes.
Results of the survey indicate that girls as young as 12 are "selected" to enter the Commercial
Sex Industry. Once involved, they carry the burden of familial financial sustainability and exit
only comes when they are no longer able to attract paying clients and younger female kin is able
to assume the primary breadwinner role. However, India’s CSI is overwhelmingly composed of
lower caste women whose entry was either forced or coerced, or who lacked other viable options
for generating income.

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW
(https://youtu.be/9ORknPCFBCM?si=39LVaLK3cFR6RKu8)

A notorious highway in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is the site of a shocking trade. Girls
as young as 10 are being forced to work as prostitutes and it’s their own families selling them to
passing trucks. These girls are from the Bachara tribe, a low-caste community known as Dalits.
An exclusive interview with a woman named Maya who also belongs to bachara tribe reveals
that she was forced into prostitution by her aunt at the age of 15 after her mother died and her
father was an alcoholic. She was the only bread earner of her family as she had two younger
siblings to feed. She even told about the dangers they used to face as most of the customers are
either high on drugs or are drunk , some beat or slap them.
Maya’s brother also discloses that most of the Bachara men face discrimination in getting jobs
because of their low caste and therefore, the generations of girls have supported their families
through prostitution. The work of prostitution in their community is run through ages, people
have not stopped it, and it has now become a business. It's the income bachara men say they can't
live without. Despite their old age tradition and low social status he wants this tradition to stop.
Documentary also reveals that young girls of age 12 to 13 years are offered to the clients -
“younger the girl higher is the price”. In such communities the birth of a girl child is celebrated
as they are treated as a source of income for the family.
Another girl named Meneka reveals that her mother forced her into prostitution at the age of 15.
She now has a two-year-old daughter of her own, and says she feels trapped- “I feel like I am
born in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing. But what can I do? I can’t say much because
this is our tradition”.

Despite the desire of many sex workers to leave the trade, there's a constant demand for their
services, majorly from passing truck drivers. Filming undercover, 101 East discovers girls as
young as 10 are being offered to men. While India introduced tougher child rape laws in 2018,
advocates say the laws are not properly enforced. They interviewed truck drivers about their
experiences and it shows that they are not scared of the laws on child rape instead of HIV and
AIDS, which are very common among sex workers. The truck drivers further explain that the
wealthy can afford to pay for young virgins in bachara villages. Every young virgin girl is sent to
an auction, bids are made to break her seal for the first time. They celebrate after the auction.

The men claimed that prostitution helps keep sexual violence levels low. There is no rape,
because the sex business is available, which is contrary to what women combatting the sex trade
say as Madhya Pradesh has the highest reported cases of child rape in India by far with an
increasing number.
As shown in the documentary, a local NGO, JAN SAHAS, founded by Aashief Sheik, is trying
to free local girls from this sexual slavery.

“The people who exploit the children are not customers they are rapists, 99% of girls
involved in practice start at a age below 18, this practice is the serial rape of children of
dalit or untouchable community which are raped 10-12 times a day. It is a caste based
commercial sexual exploitation of children.”
It is hard to eradicate this practice in low caste girls that has existed for centuries. India has a lot
of powerful laws, penalizing child rape but there is a long way to go as these laws and policies
are not implemented at the ground level.

It was shown that with laws police feel more emboldened but superintendent Rakesh Mohan
Shukla commented while explaining the situation that “such operations can reinforce the cycle
of abuse rather than stop it.” The Police do not take actions on humanity grounds as the burden
of court expenses falls on the girl, who in turn pays all of this through prostitution.

According to him, police raids or actions are not the solution to this, The priority of police is
communal harmony and VIP security. Authorities and activists believe that a less punitive
approach is the only solution to stamp out sex trade here.

In 2 years, Jan sahas has set up local centers in bachera villages who are working to prevent
young children from getting into this practice. Dignity centers have been established where
children attend various kinds of sessions and support them to continue their education because it
is a very important strategy to ensure prevention. The NGO has hired former prostitutes like
Geeta, to sway girls and women from joining the trade. They hold after school classes for local
village children. She counsels nearby town women who want to leave the sex trade. Women say
customers trouble and torture them and they want to shift to other sources of income to take care
of the household

Some men take a stand for their families but it's a risky move. Balram, a store owner, has 5
daughters and a son. His mother, sisters, grandmother all were prostitutes but he never wanted
that future for his own daughters. He says he doesn't want all the riches the trade has to offer but
his conscience was awakened and he realized all this was wrong and he was disgusted by the
practice. He wants to make them educated and self-sufficient.

However, he has become an outcast and is avoided and boycotted by the villagers. The
community asked for a fine when one of his daughters got divorced and forced her from
discontinuing the studies.
She says, even her peers believe people from the bachara samaj shouldn't study. She hopes for a
better future through govt scholarships and jobs and wants to join the police in order to change
her community.

In the quest to survive, parents should never forget their hopes and dreams. Forefathers business
is an old way of thinking, new generation new ways of thinking we should respect our daughters

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The history of paid sex isn’t new or unique to India. The roots of trafficking are deeply
embedded in our age-old traditional prostitution systems prevalent in several parts of the country,
like the devadasi and the tawaifs. Trafficking is said to be a result of the vulnerable conditions of
the women involved and situations are made worse by their social exclusion from the society due
to the gender discrimination and inefficient development practices in the society that
marginalizes females from employment and education.
While earlier the prostitutes were treated akin to entrepreneurs and enjoyed royal patronage
wielding much considerable influence in state affairs, religious and political developments over
centuries lead to the decline of the esteem of their work. After independence, when the princely
states were abolished and the zamindari system was removed, the tawaifs or the prostitutes lost
their royal patronage and clientele and gradually the tawaif system died out.
The word ‘Devadasi’ is made up of two Sanskrit words ‘Deva’ which means God and ‘Dasi’
meaning a ‘female servant’. It is a system of female prostitution with religious sanctions. Most of
the girls who were forced into this practice belonged to low castes such as dalits. They were
married off to temple priests and were sexually exploited by them and the rich and affluent
zamindars, traders and other men. They were forced into this practice in the name of religion and
God, they were made to believe that it is a form of Service to the almighty.
Prostitution has been also identified as a familial occupation among many tribal groups and
communities like the Bedias, Bachara in North India. The matter of debts of the families
probably created situations where the poor succumbed to prostitute their females to flee debt
bondage.
LAWS RELATED TO COMMERCIALISATION OF CHILDREN

1. CONSTITUTION

Part III of the constitution of India embodies fundamental rights, which are considered as the
conscience of it. Such rights represent the basic value of the civilized society, and the
constitution makers declared that they should be given a higher place in the constitution.

● Article 21: Protection of life and personal liberty No person shall be deprived of his life
or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.
● Article 21-A: Right to education. The State shall provide free and compulsory education
to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law,
determine
● Article 23 of the constitution prohibits trafficking in human beings and other similar
forms of forced labour and pronounce that such acts are offenses punishable in
accordance with law.
● Article 24 of the constitution also provides that no child, below the age of 14 years,
shall
be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous
employment. The Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the part IV of the
constitution of India, plays the major role in the formulation of state policy.
●
Article 39 of the constitution directs the state to formulate suitable policies to protect
and
promote the health and strength of laborers and workers, women and the tender age of
children, and therefore the citizens are not forced by the economic necessity to enter a
●
vocation unsuited to their age or strength.
It is further provided by article 37 of the constitution that the state shall direct its policy
towards securing that children are given adequate opportunities and facilities to
develop
in a healthy manner, so that children and the youths are protected against such
exploitation
2. .STATUTORY LAWS
● The Protection of Children from sexual Offences Act, 2012
 The Protection of Children from sexual Offences Act, 2012 has been enacted to
strengthen the legal provisions for the protection of children from sexual abuse and
exploitation. The protection of children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 defines a child
as any person below the age of 18 years and provides protection to all children rom the
offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. The Act provides for
stringent punishments, which have been graded as per the gravity of the offenses. The
punishments range from simple to rigorous imprisonment of varying periods..

● Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 To combat commercial sexual exploitations

and prohibits prostitution. It has provisions for providing rehabilitation and protection to
victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
● The Juvenile Justice ( Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 Defines a child and
provides provisions for care and protection of children. It has provisions which provide
for protection measures for the repatriation and rehabilitation of children.
● Child Labour ( Protection and Regulation) Act, 1986 It has the provisions which
prohibits child labour The law has provisions for rehabilitation of child labour.
● The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013 Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)
has been substituted with new sections, 370 and 370A which deal with trafficking of
persons for exploitation.
● Anti Trafficking Cell Considering the need for combating the crime of human
trafficking in India, the Ministry of Home Affairs has established a Nodal Cell for dealing
with matters relating to trafficking in human beings.
● Schemes related to Human Trafficking (Ministry of Women and Child
Development)

The Ujjawala Scheme has five specific purposes for prevention, rescue, rehabilitation,
reintegration and repatriation of victims of women and child trafficking in India.
 AUTHOR’S OPINION
1. AMULYA KAUSHIK

The documentary draws attention to the alarming problem of child prostitution in Madhya
Pradesh, shedding light on the exploitation of young girls from impoverished low-caste
families. By incorporating interviews with victims, families, police, and activists, it provides
a comprehensive perspective, highlighting the multifaceted challenges in addressing issues
such as poverty and caste-based discrimination. The content is impactful, revealing the grim
reality of child prostitution, stressing the need for urgent societal change to tackle this
deeply rooted problem.

2. ANCHAL VIMAL

This documentary addresses the problem of commercial sex business by taking interviews
and asking personal pain and problems of victims of Madhya Pradesh . It highlights the
forced prostitution and exploitation of young females in the area of Madhya Pradesh. The
documentary is so impactful in highlighting the social and economic issues associated with
the practice of child prostitution .This documentary highlights the need for education and
social changes in our society.

3. SIMRAN CHAUDHARY

This documentary describes the interaction between structural elements such as economic
deprivation, social inequality, attitudes to gender, and lack of education leading a path to
forced child prostitution. It provides the insight of obstacles faced by people belonging to
lower strata of the society. The discrimination faced by them in terms of education and job
opportunities have majorly contributed to forcing their daughters into prostitution. Despite
several laws it lacks proper implementation and awareness among the people.

4. ABHINANDAN GOYAL

The documentary highlights the mistreatment of young girls from lower-caste, low-income
homes and highlights the problem of child prostitution in Madhya Pradesh. It highlights the
intricate challenges in resolving issues like poverty and caste-based prejudice and provides a
comprehensive perspective by integrating interviews with victims, relatives, police, and
activists. Because it uses secret camera footage and eyewitness accounts to reveal the horrific
reality of child prostitution, the video's content is extremely potent.

5. PARITOSH MAHAL

The documentary talks about prostitution. The footage, being in a fashion of participatory
mode also suggests that the grassroots levels are not impenetrable yet the lack of operations
against it suggests how actors of state with the authority to bring about a change are not
bothered to bring it. The documentary ends with an example of exceptions in the community
to communicate that not all hope is lost, however, the road to generalizing the exceptional is
long and testing.

6. JAYA ARYA

The documentary sheds light on the atrocities faced by the bachara women, who have been
shackled into the age-old tradition of sex trade. Whatever is happening with the children and
women in these communities is a blatant violation of human rights and even the authorities
have turned their faces to the mass spread of this social evil. There are a few outliers in the
community who are stepping up to bring about a change and respite to the victims of this
vicious cycle. We as a society need stricter implementation and check of the laws that have
been formulated for their protection.