India Revises Law to Punish Traffickers, Not Victims

CHILD PROSTITUTES IN INDIA
(Photo by, Mary Ellen Mark)

The Indian Parliament is currently reviewing a law from 1956, The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, for revision. The old law had loopholes that protected traffickers and solicitors of trafficking victims used for sexual exploitation, while the victims of trafficking were punished.

From an article today in The Times of India, we learn that:

The amendments are being introduced by the ministry of women and child development (WCD). WCD secretary, Reva Nayar, says, "The basic purpose of the amendments is to protect hapless sex workers from further exploitation.

Loopholes in the existing Act dealing with pimps, clients and traffickers have been taken care of now." Manjula Krishnan, advisor to the WCD, says, "There is a proposal to delete the most crucial aspect of the existing Act--Section 8 and Section 20--in the amendment.

While Section 8 was for banning seduction or solicitation in public places, Section 20 was for empowering the police to remove a sex worker from any place and impose a fine on her." Till date, she says, the focus was on punishing sex workers. Not any more.

The amendments also provide for sensitive changes like setting up of a state authority that will effectively prevent and combat trafficking.

The revisions will also include:

1. Increasing the age of a "child" as defined in the act from 16 to 18.
2. Prosecuting police who take bribes from traffickers and clients.
3. Protecting the privacy of victims from cameras and media.