Thursday 28 Mar 2024

Study on sex trafficking is outdated, but still a wake-up call for Goa

| DECEMBER 03, 2022, 12:32 AM IST

A nationwide survey published by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development rating Goa as a source destination for sex trafficking comes as a major embarrassment to a State that is promising to cleanse its ‘sinful’ image of tourism. However, questions remain over the delay in releasing the survey, which has a perspective of 2017, and the data that it fails to lay on the table.

The 200-page report becomes largely irrelevant in the current space, which has seen such an unprecedented change. Working out a course correction and taking remedial action would be futile because of the time mismatch since we are in 2022. The world has moved on, and so has Goa. Back then, in 2017, the online systems had a limited presence, the economics of tourism were different, and so was the approach of governments. A lot has changed.

Secondly, besides being outdated and relatively irrelevant to the current date, the survey fails to provide crucial inputs for the State to act upon. The fact that the material was taken off the website within hours of publication in this newspaper goes to highlight that damage control has become a priority rather than the issue.

However, despite the downsides of the study, there are takeaways, and the State government should ponder over some key aspects. The ‘source destination’ tag is an area where the State government and the Women and Child Development department must investigate deeper.

The focus should be trying to identify a pattern to the ‘source’. The state machinery has to probe whether children are being trafficked and whether there is an organised syndicate running within the State forcing women into prostitution. Rescues conducted in raids should provide additional inputs. While the study has named the destination States, the State government can collaborate with respective governments in getting to the root of this illicit trade. Raiding massage parlours and other suspect outlets are superficial measures that will not help to uproot the menace.

Sex trafficking has been part and parcel of tourism in major destinations, and Goa has been no exception. However, being a source destination is something that can have drastic consequences even to the social fabric of the State. Data outside the study reveals that seven per cent of locals are engaged in prostitution, with a bulk of the trafficking happening through women from other States like Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi, besides countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Russia, Israel and even Ukraine.

One primary concern is that when the demand-supply equations come into play, clamping down on outside recruits could give rise to a home-grown industry with more locals lured into trafficking. The fear then would be Goa going along the lines of Bangkok and other destinations where the locals drive the ‘sex industry’. This fear is further compounded because systemic controls are failing.

Nonetheless, the State government is better positioned to open up deliberations with the Centre. A study always helps to get a grasp of the issue at hand. Let this one be a wake-up call.

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