'Trafficking survivors can drop message at helpline for urgent action'

MP | 27 July 2022 | KOLKATA: The special consultant of West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights Sudeshna Roy said on Tuesday that in case of inaction at local levels, survivors of human trafficking can drop a message at a helpline number and immediate cognizance will be taken. 

The helpline number is 9836300300. 

If the survivor is above 18 years old then the case will go to the Department of Women and Child Development. According to a survey presented by a non-governmental organization (NGO) which works closely with the commission to rescue and rehabilitate survivors, out of 80 respondents 79 said that they were taken to police station post rescue while 26 said that they were kept at the police station for two to four hours while 19 agreed on being kept there for more than 24 hours and nine respondents said that they were kept for two days and more. 

The NGO clarified that the figure reflects all India status as they rescue girls from different states and bring them back to Bengal.

The state consultant for Prevention of Trafficking of the Department of Women and Child Development Madhumita Halder said that the child needs to be kept at either a safe house or shelter home and in no way can be kept at a police station for 24 hours and more. 

The survey pointed out issues faced by the survivors both at the time of rescue and later. It stated that majority women had to pay for their own transportation from the rescue site to their home state or district. 

"44 respondents said that they had to bear some expense for the transportation cost from the place of the rescue to their home state or district while 28 respondents said that the government paid the full cost," the survey stated. 

"The government gives funds to all district child protection units so the survivors do not have to bear the cost of it. These funds are there to be availed by the survivors," Halder said, adding that under the amended POCSO Act, all the Child Welfare Committees (CWC) are authorized to award interim relief to survivors, which can be availed by them. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/trafficking-survivors-can-drop-message-at-helpline-for-urgent-action-487325