Rescuing Girls from Sexual Exploitation in Nepal

Nepal is currently experiencing the consequences of the prolonged second wave of Covid-19. Only 13,5% of the people in Nepal have been fully vaccinated. Nepal is also dependent on other countries. 

Even during this challenging times, we could still rescue 17 minors from sexual exploitation in Nepal and intercept 137 minors. These 137 minors were rescued at the border between India and Nepal, before they crossed the border. Because of this, they are now safe instead of being sexually exploited at a brothel or café. 

We could also rescue 7 majors from situations of sexual exploitation in Nepal, who asked our help and intercepted 146 majors. These young women below 23 asked for our help when they saw our rescueteam at the border and in the entertainment sector.

Thank you so much for making this happen! 

Even during these challenging times with many restrictions, our rescueteam still managed to rescue 12 children (9 girls and 3 boys) from situations of sexual exploitation. During the rescue raid, 4 people were arrested. Some of them are very young: the 3 youngest are as young as 6, 8 and 9 years old. Fortunately, they are safe now. They receive the psychosocial and medical care that they need at a safe place. They also get access to an education, dancing, singing, painting and/ or drawing classes.

Thank you so much for making it possible to rescue these children from these horrific circumstances!

Idha

Idha* is currently 17 years old. She was rescued from a situation of sexual exploitation on the 29^th of May 2020. Her family was poor and her father passed away when she was very young. Her mother remarried. Her mother and step-father didn’t earn enough money and she had to discontinue her education. Her mother sent her to Kathmandu to work in a hotel. She had to clean, wash clothes, cook and serve food, cigarette and alcohol to the customers. She had to work many hours a day and often, the customers were drunk. After a while, the hotel owner forced her to have sex with the customers and he locked her up in a room.

Fortunately, she was rescued by the police of Kathmandu and our partner organisation, together with two other minor girls. They received psycho social counselling and legal support.

Palisha

Palisha* is currently 16 years old. Her parents died when she was very young. As she had to take care of herself, she was in need of a job. A woman from her village approached Palisha and offered her a job in a hotel in Kathmandu. At first, this job seemed fine as she got her expenses paid and she had a decent room to stay in. However, soon after, she was required to wear very short clothes. She didn’t feel comfortable about this, thus she refused. This resulted in her being transferred to a small flat with two other girls where they were kept against their will. Between 4 to 8 times a day, she was forced to have sex with clients that would visit them.

Luckily, she was rescued by the local police and our partner organisation. She now receives all the care and support that she needs including support to proceed her education. Additionally, she receives legal support - the hotel owner is currently in custody, awaiting trial.  

Covid-19
The Corona crisis has a major impact on the sexual exploitation of children. Millions of people have already lost their jobs due to the corona virus. The United Nations estimated that 42-66 million children are currently living in extreme poverty as a result of the crisis in addition to the estimated 386 million children who were already living in extreme poverty before the crisis[1]. Growing up in poverty makes children extra vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Precisely in those places where the travel and tourism industry, which is now completely shut down, is the main source of income, families and children with no other means of earnings themselves can be designated to offer sex in exchange for primary necessities of life.

In places where tourism’s main source of income is now disappearing, the existing balance of power between abusers and exploiters and their victims and families under pressure will become even more unequal. This may be because they are 'groomed' online, where it is easier and without supervision to contact children. It is therefore of the utmost importance that Free a Girl can continue its work and also expand our resources and expertise in combating child prostitution online.

Despite the lockdown, we've still managed to rescue 4 minor girls from situatiosn of sexual exploitation in Nepal in May and June. 

These are very challenging times for everyone, including Free a Girl. It is however of utmost importance that Free a Girl can continue her activities. 

[1]UN policy brief April 2020: The Impact of COVID-19 on children https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/policy_brief_on_covid_impact_on_children_16_april_2020.pdf

Results July 2019-June 2020

• 40 children are rescued from situations of sexual exploitation. All survivors received legal support and immediate aftercare.
• 53 survivors of sexual exploitation (rescued by Free a Girl or another organisation) received psychosocial and medical care. 
• 5 survivors received formal education and they could move on to the next schoolyear. 15 other survivors wanted to start their formal education, but they had to wait, as the schools are currently closed. They now receive informal education at home and receive extra motivation coaching and counselling. 
• 24 survivors are reintegrated with their families after their families were assessed. These survivors will still be contacted regularly to prevent revictimisation. 
• In June 2020, a meeting was organized with local autorities. Because of the Covid-19 measures, only 13 people could attend. However, the mayor of Pokhara shared to be impressed by the work.