CREATING AWARENESS: A poster calling for steps to stop trafficking in women being released at a meeting in the city on Thursday. — PHOTO: RAJU. V .

VIJAYAWADA: A positive change in the mindset of the fairer sex is a pre-requisite for a society free of evils like women and girl trafficking, says Mayor Mallika Begum.

Addressing a meeting on `prevention of new entries into flesh trade', jointly organised by Network Against Trafficking of Sexual Exploitation in Andhra Pradesh (NATSAP) and Help, through their implementing agency Vimukthi, Ms. Begum said in many a instance, it was heart-rending to note that in an attempt to overcome poverty, minors were being pushed into flesh trade by their own mothers.

Such heinous crime must be stopped and women should be educated against resorting to such extreme steps, she said.

Referring to the inborn strengths of a woman, she said this power should be effectively put to use to overcome adverse situations. Pointing out that poverty was the main cause of such evils, she urged members of women organisations to educate and spread awareness among their peers in villages.

Cause for concern

Chairman of Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri - Urban Development Authority Malladi Vishnu said the alarming rise in the number of sex workers was a matter of serious concern.

The 20-odd traffickers' gangs, which operated in the region 10 years ago, had spread their tentacles and had multiplied to nearly 600 groups. Since Vijayawada city was centrally located, traffickers had made the place their strategic point of operation, he said and exhorted the common man to play a role in curbing the problem. He called for amendments to the existing laws on trafficking to bring the culprits to the book. Mr. Vishnu said the State Government was doing its bit by allocating funds for implementation of rehabilitation schemes for sex workers.

Funds to the tune of Rs. 3,700 crores were disbursed last year to self-help groups towards loans, while the allocation was to be enhanced to Rs. 5,000 crores this year, he revealed.

He said victims of trafficking should make use of the opportunity and join the mainstream.

Social issue

Former MP and president of Vasavya Mahila Mandali Chennupati Vidya said trafficking was a social issue. Young girls and women were being duped in the name of love and employment and sold to brothels.

The police raids on brothels always ended up in the arrest of the victims rather than the actual culprits who were behind the crime.

Rehabilitation

She said the Government should take up rehabilitation of sex workers in a big way and train them to make them self-reliant.

Regional employment officer V. Himabindu, regional deputy director of Information Department Swarnalatha, deputy superintendent of Railway Police, Vijayawada, B. Vijaya Kumar and others were present.

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