Anti-human trafficking clubs launched in Chennai colleges

Talking to DT Next, A Enoch, assistant professor, Madras School of Social Work, said that 13 clubs were formed by electing student representatives, leaders and a professor to overseeing them, along with civil society organisations who will work closely with them. He added that the students, who are part of Anti-Human Trafficking clubs, will spend several hours to take the message to society by initiating activities in their respective college.

 He said, “Unlike in villages, where there is more awareness on what is happening around them, as it is a closer society, in cities like Chennai, no one knows what is happening in their neighbourhood. There are cases like the one in which a girl was harassed in an apartment for almost a year and none knew about it.” The Anti-Human Trafficking Club envisions to equip every student-member with tools of knowledge on the causes, prevention, prosecution and rehabilitation,

Enoch pointed out that there is very little understanding of trafficking. “Many think it is only about prostitution. But there are other crimes like smuggling of organs, forced marriages, etc. Children, elders and even patients are victims of trafficking at times,” he added, saying that string of crimes like begging, domestic servitude among other forms of labour trafficking comprise trafficking.

The idea is to also have schools to be part of the sensitisation programme in order to make it a movement involving the younger population.