Trafficking Truths: Pallabi’s Perilous Pursuit of Finding Hope Amidst Darkness

 Roopsa Ganguly 🖊️

“If you would have been on the receiving end of the cruelty, you’d know.”

The anguished words of a desperate father searching for his missing daughter deeply moved Ms. Pallabi Ghosh, inspiring her to start contributing to making the world a better place from the age of just 12.

At Sister Nivedita University in Newtown, Kolkata, activist Pallabi Ghosh delivered a powerful seminar on human trafficking, highlighting her decade-long dedication to rescuing children. Through her work with the Impact and Dialogue Foundation, she has tirelessly fought against trafficking, sharing her experiences and the challenges she has faced.

Pallabi Ghosh, Founder/Director of the Impact and Dialogue Foundation, has been rescuing children from traffickers for nearly a decade. Born and raised in Assam, she encountered her first trafficking case at age 12. During a summer visit to her uncle's place in Bengal, she saw a man in his 50s crying for his missing daughter. Confused by the disappearance in their small village, she later learned from a child that a man on a Yamaha had taken the girl away. Although Ghosh was too young to fully grasp the incident or the concept of trafficking, her curiosity led her to gradually uncover the dark world of this crime. She recalls that the event had a profound impact on her, prompting her to research trafficking in the northeast and West Bengal. "In Assam, there was a police station near my house. I remember vividly that a police officer told me that the missing children are pushed into begging in streets, bus stops, and railway stations." Said Ms Ghosh on reminiscing the incident.

In 2012, Ghosh moved to Delhi for her undergraduate studies. A peer approached her, recognizing the language she spoke, which was common in her village. When Ghosh intervened and requested to visit that village, she was not allowed. Pulling some strings, Ghosh managed to visit one of these villages. The sight left her numb: a large group of veiled women sat together. One woman shared her story, falling in love with a boy at a village fair at 13, who promised marriage and a better life. He took her to Delhi, then another state, and sold her. She had been in the village for the past five years, with two children, and a husband over 50.

Ghosh attributes poverty as the primary cause of trafficking in India, noting that illiteracy and unemployment also contribute significantly. She identified additional factors such as migration (both within and between countries), floods, large family sizes, and lack of familial affection. Many trafficking victims are vulnerable individuals drawn to cities by the promise of jobs, only to be exploited. They often fall into the trap of false promises of a better life, leading to their exploitation. According to Ghosh, girls are primarily trafficked for prostitution, forced marriage, and bride trafficking, while boys are targeted for labour and factory work.

When reflecting about the inspiration behind founding the organization, Ghosh recounted that in 2020, during the peak of the pandemic, she was in a hospital following a rescue operation from a red-light area. She received shocking news that the children she had rescued were COVID-19 positive. This was unexpected, as children were largely immune during the first wave. The situation worsened, and many of the children became critically ill and died. Investigation revealed an organ trafficking ring, and the families involved had vanished. This experience drove her to establish the Impact and Dialogue Foundation.

According to Pallabi, West Bengal experiences high levels of trafficking, including forced marriages, prostitution, child trafficking, and polyandry. Haryana also faces significant issues with forced marriages, bride trafficking, and polyandry, while northern states are notably affected by bride trafficking. In the northeast, child trafficking severely impacts the younger generation, and skin grafting is also a concern. Additionally, young boys fall victim to sexual exploitation, begging rings, and forced labour.

Pallabi notes that trafficking affects people of all ages. She recounted a case where a 56-year-old woman was trafficked to a village in Haryana to be married to a 24-year-old man, despite the fact that woman’s own son was 26. The man was mentally unstable, and his family struggled to find a suitable bride for him.

Pallabi Ghosh's story highlights that combating human trafficking is more than a struggle against an anonymous foe; it is a quest marked by resilience, empathy, and steadfast resolve. Through her organization, the Impact and Dialogue Foundation, Pallabi persistently confronts the status quo, elevates survivor voices, and leads the way with innovative approaches to fight trafficking.

As we move forward, let us be inspired by her journey and unite in the relentless effort to create a world where everyone is liberated from the bonds of exploitation and injustice.