Respond to the sex trafficking and trade petition: HC Tells Center, State

Hyderabad: Justice Surepalli Nanda of the Telangana High Court has directed the Union and state governments to file their response in a writ petition relating to trafficking in women and sex trade. The judge was dealing with a petition filed by Prajwala, an institution working for the rehabilitation of prostitutes and victims, under the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act, 1956. The petitioner complained of lack of proper guidelines to send people to homes established under the law. law.

Senior advocate L. Ravichander pointed out that the lack of sensitivity in distinguishing between victims and perpetrators stems from a lack of proper guidelines from the statutory authorities.

“There are no guidelines or protocols for dealing with pimps, traffickers and madams disguised as victims,” he said.

Prajwala highlighted a series of incidents that took place when two women rescued from Marigold Hotel were sent to his home. They were in reality pimps disguised as victims. Ravichander also pointed out that placing traffickers and victims together would be counterproductive to the very purpose of the law. He said that on the one hand, the government had failed to establish correctional institutions and protection homes and on the other hand, it was not even providing proper support to the NGO.

The judge, after hearing the matter, issued an interim direction to the respondents to provide police protection to the petitioner's protection home and take prompt action when necessary.