Picture used for representational purpose only

KOLKATA: Traffickers had spread their web across illegal massage parlours and spas, where they trapped minors and pushed them into sex trade, revealed multiple studies by welfare organizations.

Minors made up 0.8% of sex workers at red-light areas in Kolkata, most of them 16-17 years old, while the figure was as high as 18% at private establishments, showed a study by NGO International Justice Mission, presented by West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Of those working at spas and massage parlours, 36% sex workers belonged to the 18-21 years age group. Shakti Vahini , a group working in Kolkata against trafficking, has compiled data on escort services and unauthorised massage parlours that reportedly advertise their “services” openly. They plan to submit the documents to the police commissioner on Tuesday, to be observed as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The organization will request the officer to treat their documents as an FIR and take action.

“Illegal massage parlours and spas and escort service facilities openly offer sexual services. They solicit customers on their websites and social media. Women and girls are pushed into the trade either by coercion or by fraud. But some minors are apparently willing to continue for the money. We have been saying there is no need for a complaint for the cops to act. They can visit the web pages and find out. These agencies that have mushroomed all over have created a huge demand for girls, pushing up trafficking,” said Rishi Kant of Shakti Vahini.

Subhasree Raptan, from NGO Goranbose Gram Bikash Kendra, recalled two cases, in which two girls were sold off to Goa and Pune through friends and family. “One girl was a BCom graduate and she was from Behala. The other from Park Circus was a post-graduate. One was sold off by her best friend while on a holiday and the other by her brother-in-law,” said Raptan.

“In almost all cases, recruiters used the lure of a good job, while a few others were abducted. The key tactics used in nearly half the cases was physical violence, like rape, and debt bondage,” the ICJ report stated.

