Saving 200 Runaway Girls from Prostitution

Summary

Runaway girls who arrive at Mumbai Central station are at high risk from prostitution and domestic slavery. The project provides care, counselling, repatriation and education for 200 runaway girls.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Every year about 200 girls (aged 16-24) arrive at Mumbai Central station from throughout India. Some are runaways, pursuing Bollywood stardom, or have eloped with a boyfriend who then deserts them. Others are escaping violence, or an early or abusive marriage. A girl arriving alone is vulnerable: her disorientation makes her easy to spot. She is quickly approached by a brothel agent posing as a friendly stranger. Research suggests she has only 15 minutes before she is swept up and disappears.

How will this project solve this problem?

Providing a safety net to help these vulnerable girls regain their dignity and provide them with necessary life-skills through station outreach, day and night shelters, vocational skills; healthcare, counseling and reunification with their families.

Potential Long Term Impact

To enable these girls to regain their dignity, recover from the trauma they have experienced, prevent their disappearance into prostitution, and provide the emotional, psychological support and life-skills they need to move towards independence.

Project Message

My family hate girls.They want a village marriage. I want to be a film star; to sing and dance;I want to BE something.So I came to Mumbai.I want to stay here [the centre] as it feels more like family.
- Babita (formerly Priya) aged 19, Runaway girl who came to the project

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources