‘Time to clamps on trafficking’

Vijayawada: Y Lakshmana Rao, Principal District Judge-cum-Chairman District Legal Services Authority, said that trafficking of minors and young women for sexual exploitation has become a major concern globally.

Lakshmana Rao was the chief guest at the state-level consultation on ‘Anti-Trafficking’ organised by Andhra Pradesh State Legal Services Authority and Mahita - Plan India in Machilipatnam on Saturday.

He said that the phenomenon has become more transnational in scope and the scale of human trafficking for sexual exploitation was massive. He said that it was a serious transnational threat across the world as well as a grave human rights violation.

He said, "We have to address the issue in a concerted manner with all the departments working in convergence".

AR Anuradha, Principal Secretary of home department, reiterated the police department’s tough stance against the crime of trafficking for sexual and commercial exploitation.

She said that the government with its responsive law enforcement agencies and judiciary as well as many schemes and policies for trafficked victims has been able to curb the situation to a large extent but the efforts have to be continuous and consistent by all the stakeholders concerned.

PV Rambabu, Member Secretary of the APLSA, said that the consultation would guide all key players so as to respond to the adverse number of cases wherein girls and women are being trafficked to be exploited commercially and sexually.

"It is essential that we are prepared to handle the cases of children being trafficked for profiteering given the colossal damage it does to their lives," Ram Babu added.

H Arun Kumar, Special Commissioner of women's development and child welfare department, KGV Saritha, Superintendent of Police, Women Protection Cell, Ramesh Sekhar Reddy, Programme Director- Mahita and Plan India, and others were present.