Modern Slavery

The problem

• Estimated number enslaved: 13,300,000-14,700,000- array of forms of slavery
• The world's second most populous country- over 1.2 billion people
• 32.7% of people live below poverty line
• Poverty and India's caste system contribute to the overall problem
• Many trapped in debt bondage to local landowner-women and children in dang 

India's problems

• Internal Migration- rural states to large cities, Interstate Trafficking
• Internal migrant workers have difficulties seeking protection/entitlements
• Cross-Border Migration (Nepal and Pakistan) risk to exploitation, etc.
• 2013 US TIP reports that almost 90% of trafficking in India is internal
• Even Indian nationals who have migrated for work find themselves enslaved

Causes

• Poverty, Attitudes, and Discrimination
• Poverty: World Bank- in 2012, 32.7% of Indians live below poverty line
• Dalits (Untouchables), and Tribals (Adivasis) are mainly targeted
• Demands fuel many forms of slavery-  laws in place, are not enforced
• Discrimination against lower castes and women=no rights, less opportunity

india under British rule

Ritual Sex Slavery: the life of a devadasi

• Devadasi: a hereditary female dancer and courtesan in a Hindu temple
• Tradition was made illegal by the government in 1988
• Is still an issue in Southern India today
• Most girls inducted into the system are from the Untouchable Caste
• Girls are often sold (as young as 4-5) because  families are impoverished

Marriage to a deity: dedication ceremony

• Dedication is a symbolic marriage of the pubescent girl to the chosen deity
• Sadanku,or puberty ceremonies-initiate consummates marriage with deity
• All of the community would be involved, religious figures, local elites...
• This ceremony included, community feasting, celebration of music, dance
• Nitya sumangali: a woman eternally free from adversity of widowhood

Historical origins of the devadasi system

• Thought to have become prominent in the 6th century CE
• Number of devadasis correlate with the wealth of the temple, held  status
• Rajadasis: local kings would invite temple dancers to dance in their courts
• Devadasis - solitary dance for patron deity,  Rajadasis - entertainment
• West Asian invaders- destruction of temples, devadasis turned out 

Downward spiral

• Once their career is over, devadasis can become jogathis or beggars 
• Jogathis: intermediaries between goddess and the people
• Though they begin as temple maidens, dedicated to their patron deity,
• many devadasis end up in one of the many red-light districts as prostitutes
• Often shunned and disrespected by their community once they are dedicated

yama's story

Sexual slavery

• Often forced to have sex between 10-25 times per day
• Suffer abuse from both clients and brothel workers
• approx. 3 million prostitutes in India, 1.2 million are children (under 18)
• Most trafficking is inter-state,with girls coming from rural Indian states
• Mainly are Dalits/Tribals, and are often sold my family/neighbors

Historical background of sexual slavery

• 1800s, British military established and maintained brothels for its troops 
• Girls used were young teens, from poor rural Indian families
• By 1864, there were 8 neighborhoods in Mumbai home to more than 500 slaves
• 1890s, police introduced bars to the windows and doors of brothels
• "Cages" still exist today,and many still work in the same brothels 

In the sex-trade

• Do NOT try to resist!
• Increased risk of illness or death (STDs)
• Brothel owners/traffickers want to breed 
• Internet advances fuel demand
• When sex worker becomes ill, they are tossed aside

Bride Trafficking

• Bride-purchasing is the illegal industry of purchasing a bride as property 
• As property, wives become "sex slaves" (pleasure husband, produce sons) 
• They also become bonded labourers/slaves (farm workers, househelp)
• Majority of trafficked brides are between ages of 13-23
• 56% of trafficked brides have been sold twice,21% thrice,and 6% four times

source of bride trafficking

• 2011 Indian census-approx. 914 girls for every 1000 boys 
• Gendercide/ Sex Selective Abortions
• 1) Historic cultural preference for sons; 2) Dowry
• Estimated that India has lost 12 million girls over 3 decades
• Children are bought/kidnapped to be future wives for sons

Gendercide

Methods of inducting girls

• Take girl forcibly/kidnap
• Entice girl with promises of a good job or an attractive lifestyle
• Groom girl by developing a relationship with them
• Inducting girls who are already in the sex trade or domestic service 

Map of India

Bonded labour

WHAT IS BONDED LABOUR?
...A person's pledge of their labor or services as security for the repayment for a debt or other obligation. The services required to repay the debt may be undefined, and the services' duration may be undefined. Debt bondage can be passed on from generation to generation.

Facts

• Unreasonably high interest rates charged (10%-20%+ per month)
• Up to half of day's wage is deducted for debt repayment
• Further deductions often made as a result of "penalties"
• Penalties include breaking rule or poor work ethic
• With such little income, they are always forced to borrow money

Continued..

• Well over 10 million bonded labourers in India
• Majority (80%-96%) are Dalits and Tribals
• People can be placed in Bonded Labour without borrowing money
• If they are offered advances on wages, or new location of work etc,
• They are subject to debt

Key factors

• Extreme Poverty
• Lack of Education/Literacy (easier to exploit)
• Landlessness
• Absence of necessities (Shelter, Food, Water)

Untitled Slide

industries involved

• Carpets
• Silk
• Soccer Balls
• Brick Kilns
• Matchstick

Manjula's story

Child Beggars

• 300,000-1,000,000 child beggars in India
• 44,000 children become beggars each year.
• Kidnapped and used as slave beggars for gangs
• Forced to beg for money and other things from people and bring them back to the gangs.
• Arms and legs forcibly amputated and cruelly blinded.

Child beggars

• Tortured to evoke greater sympathy when begging. 
• The children are addicted to drugs, solvents, alcohol and hashish laced with opium.
• Beggar mafia make more than 20 million euro a year.
• No child beggars ever get any part of the money they are being used for.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzph-CYMPZ0

facts

• Trapped in Bonded Labour since Age 4
• Worked with Mother in Matchstick Factory
• Worked long torturous hours for few pence a day
• Younger sister, Kavitha, now working in factory
• Due to their parents' never ending cycle of debt

what is the government doing?

• India has allowed a number of key conventions relevant to modern slavery
• There have been efforts in many places to enforce Child Labour Laws
• Following amendments to the Penal Code in April 2013, all forms of
• human trafficking are now criminalized  
• Many laws and amendments set but no care to have them enforced

Untitled Slide

• Clearly, this shows that India does not have:
• Time, Resources, or Patience to enforce these laws
• They are fulfilling wishes of the Legal System to a certain extent but,
• Not doing much to enforce these laws is sort of beating around the bush