Background Information on Human Trafficking
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is known as today's modern form of slavery. It is defined as the illegal act of recruiting, harboring and transporting humans for the purpose of exploitation. Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry after drugs, bringing in billions of dollars per year. Those trafficked are forced against their will to perform strenuous labor in agriculture, restaurants, housekeeping, sweatshops, and brothels.
Who is trafficked & how does one fall victim to being trafficked?
Although anyone can fall victim to this crime, the majority of victims are women and children. Women trafficked are typically from impoverished rural areas in underdeveloped and developing countries where opportunities for education and employment are low or non-existent. Many countries (India especially) operate under a highly patriarchal system, which places higher social importance on men than women. Women are viewed as an economic burden to their families and therefore, do not receive equal education as their male counterparts. Unfortunately, they become further susceptible to being trafficked due to the lack of education.
Traffickers are the middlemen who under false pretenses promise those trafficked jobs working abroad in offices, restaurants, in homes as domestic workers or as models. Traffickers usually focus on women who are in desperate conditions and bank on the strong chance that they will be open to leaving with them because they are living in poverty, an abusive home environment or both. Most women are hoping to escape to a better life working for more money to support their families or themselves and therefore view this as an opportunity not to refuse because they feel their lives will only get worse if they were to stay behind. Women who have heard of others being trafficked may realize that they risk being trafficked themselves, but afraid to stay behind without any opportunities versus the chance of gaining a legitimate job is too hard to pass up. A large majority of women and children are trafficked by those they already know, such as family members, friends and even parents who sell their children because they are unable to afford raising them. Sadly, many traffickers are women themselves.
An old feudal custom called child bride or child marriage, whereby young females (mostly in rural India) are married off to much older husbands is a deeply embedded tradition within Indian culture. Although a lot of times there is a societal pressure to marry-off young girls before puberty there are also hidden agendas to marry-off one's daughter. Women are viewed as an economic burden to their families and therefore it is no surprise we see many underaged marriages. Parents view child marriage as a survival strategy in reaction to their state of poverty. But families place their daughters in the dangerous position of being trafficked by their husbands who will prostitute them to others or sell them to brothels.
Why can't the women or children just escape or go to the police for help?
By force, or coercion trafficked victims can be transported both on an international and a domestic scale. A large majority of women and children are trafficked and sexually exploited where they will work in brothels, night clubs, and pornography. The traffickers will sell victims to their new "owner" where they are told they must work off their debt for the cost of transportation, visa fees, food, clothing, their purchase price and a ridiculous interest fee. It is impossible for any girl or child to completely work off their debt and most of the victims are undereducated in reading and math, making it easier for their slave owners to trick them about their debt.
Most victims experience a traumatic event within 48 hours upon their arrival to their new owners. Many traffickers violate their victims either by beating, or raping them to instill fear and compliant behavior. If they try to run away they will face severe consequences such as a harsh beating or even death and can be used as an example to others whom are thinking about running away. If they were to escape to the police they may either be locked up for crossing borders illegally and the traffickers will go unpunished, but a lot of times the owners will simply bribe the police to return the victim. Police officers are seen as the oppressor as well since they are sometimes a part of the trafficking ring, looking the other way when traffickers transport victims across borders and are brothel clients themselves for a discount on sex services. Many victims cannot even ask for help from customers they service because they usually do not speak the same language or they are afraid that if it is a test of their compliance their owners will beat them for trying to speak up. The victims are not allowed outside the brothels unless under close supervision and typically live in prison-like conditions making it difficult to attempt an escape.
The victim's family and friends are also used as a tool to force compliance. Owners will tell victims if they do not perform their work their family will be harmed, which is a reality a lot of times. Taking advantage of their victim's cultural values is another tactic owners will use to their advantage. Their is a significant importance placed on a female's virginity, which once lost out of wedlock, even by rape, the women is seen by her family and community as damaged goods. The brothel owner will remind the girls that now that they are "tainted" they will not be accepted back home or offered a marriage proposal by a respectable man. Although this is not always the case, society does seem to ostracize victims instead of helping them.
How do the victims escape?
Victims may be freed from their captures if there is a successful police raid on the brothel with the help of sympathetic police officials and the assistance of non-profit organizations. The fight does not end there necessarily. Many victims can be imprisoned for prostitution, illegal entry (though these acts were against their will) or they may face deportation back to their home country while their abusers fail to be prosecuted and without the comfort of protection from their abusers once they are home.
If the victim is being prostituted in a brothel, it can be sympathetic "johns" whom will inform the police that their "girlfriends" are being held captive. After gaining enough courage, victims will ask trustworthy clients if they will aid in their escape. The "johns" will sometimes even bravely plot elaborate plans of escape. Victims don't always have sympathetic clients to assist them and some do try to run away from their captures, but they do so with the guarantee that if they are caught they will be severely punished for their disobedience.
5/20/2009
Today I fly to India. I am on the plane as I write this first entry about my trip. Leaving LA was harder than I had expected. I cried when I said, “goodbye” on the phone to my mother, and after I saw my grandpa cry when I said I was leaving, AND at the airport when I said ‘goodbye’ to my boyfriend Mark. So many emotions at once can be confusing. First, I feel excited, then sad, and a bit fearful of the unknown. I will miss many things, but all it is well worth the overall experience I hope to gain in the end.
I should mention what exactly is the reason I will be in India. Myself and 9 other volunteers from around the world (Canada, Belgium, America, England, and Ireland) were selected to volunteer for an organization called Odanadi (means soul mate, see website www.odanadi.org). This organization rescues and rehabilitates young Indian women (and boys recently) and children who are survivors of human trafficking. 20 of the female survivors and the 10 of us volunteers will be cycling across South India to raise awareness about human trafficking. We will be cycling 12 miles a day for 30 days visiting and informing villages about human trafficking. In exchange, the villages will be providing food and shelter for us. I randomly came across this opportunity on a yoga website. Lately, I had been attending yoga classes at Runyon Canyon (www.myspace.com/runyoncanyonyoga ) and saw a link titled, “Cycle in India to Raise Awareness About Human Trafficking”. I debated with myself for an hour on whether or not I should apply. I told myself that if I didn’t apply I would kick myself in the you know what later on. The deadline was that day and after applying it was no longer in my hands. A week later I received and e-mail congratulating me and advised me to start immediately on making plans to come to India. JUST LIKE THAT! Since then my life has become hectic in the day-to-day planning of my trip, but I would not call it unimportant, half the fun of taking a trip is planning and preparing for it.
5/24/2009
Wow! Yesterday was a long and exciting day. So much was jammed-pack that I didn’t even get around to writing an entry. In the morning all of us volunteers walked to Odanadi and began our orientation. Christina spoke about Odanadi's background and a bit about human trafficking. Every village we will ride through we will plant saplings which is suppose to symbolize life and we will also pass out flyers with information and a crisis hotline number for people to call if they are having problems or want to report problems within their village. We will also be posting up stickers throughout the villages to increase the community's awareness of human trafficking, child marriages and child labor. For example, one says something like, “You’re not a thief! Don’t steal women and sell them, it’s a crime!” Another says, “Child bride is wrong, don’t do it!”
After our orientation we met all of the Odanadi girls in a large room used mainly for yoga classes. We introduced ourselves to one another and fumbled over name pronunciations.
Me: "You're name is Mona?"
Mohana: "No, no sister! Mo-hanna!"
Me: "Oh, Mohana. My name is Crystal."
Mohana: "Krishna?"
Me: "No, Chris-tal."
(Laughter)
Me: "I'm not god Krishna"
The Odanadi girls address the volunteers by the term of endearment, "sister". The more and more we hear it, the more we get used to it and every tough question that we receive is cushioned by the affectionate term sister.
"Sister, why you not married at 23?"
"Well, you see..."
Day one of the Odanadi cycle jatha (cycle rally) was a success! The volunteers and Odanadi girls met with Mysore’s district commissioner for a press meeting with journalists from Star of Mysore, Hindi Times as well as television news stations. After singing a few songs, and practicing some yoga poses to warm up for cycling we hopped on our bikes and rode off down the street. We were off to a rocky start since many of the girls had just learned to cycle in the last month and would lose their balance and fell off their bikes here and there. Anita, one of the girls fell constantly and I began to fear she would get discouraged and give up, but eventually she would always get back on the cycle, more and more determined to succeed.
Cycling through towns or on main roads was the highlight of my day. Many onlookers would stare at our group of cyclists with curiosity, and children would shout “Hi” and run beside us. People were very interested in our purpose, so much that sometimes people would slow down in their tatas (Indian vans) and on their motorcycles to talk to us.
5/26/2009
…After several mixed messages and what we volunteers call “Indian time” delays, we biked to a police station down the street, planted around ten plants, rode further and stopped for lunch. The directors of Odanadi, Stanly and Parashurum met up with us and began to speak to us about the importance of getting to know the people of the communities we visit, to find out their stories and to create bonds. Stanly points to a lone woman up on a hill watching our group interact. Next, he walks a handful of us volunteers up this hill and introduces himself to this woman he has never met. She invites us all into her home; it is a small home of cow waste/mud floors and walls, a pile of dried tobacco (used to make cigarettes) leaves are piled high in the corner. This is her family’s income.
We wander to another compound where an elder woman greets us and serves us chai (milk tea) as we play with her granddaughter’s newborn baby. Three generations live in this two-bedroom house. We call all women and male elders auntie and uncle instead of by their first or last names, this is acceptable to them and makes it easier for us all to address our hosts. It feels like you are with your family and creates a warm atmosphere. Auntie asks if we have eaten and offers us food even when she has little means to feed the seven of us, but guests are treated like gods in India so she offers us food three times though we have just eaten. We thank her and rejoin the rest of our cycle team. Auntie waves us goodbye as we ride off. When I think of my first impression of India’s people I will think of Auntie and I will remember her kindness.
5/27/2009
It is day three and we are cycling through a rocky hill quite a distance before we began to pass a long stretch of land that is full of fields with flocks of goats and sheep walking through the streets, responding to their herder’s calls. I cycle past a beautiful lake surrounded by lush country before we arrive to our host’s house where we will be staying that night.
5/28/2009
Another day begins after yoga. We cycled through three villages today and stopped in each one to team up and go through roads to pass out stickers and flyers to men and women. The Odanadi girls at first are shy, but by the time we approach the third house their confidence is building and their rapport with the community members flows more easily. The flyers are we pass out has Odanadi’s address and crisis hotline phone number. It explains that if they witness any evidence of child bride marriages, rape, physical abuse, or are having a hardship within their own family that they can call this hotline number and Odanadi will help them. Some of the women ask with great interest where the number is on the flyer. They smile at our effort and we continue on till there are no more homes to visit in that village and we cycle to the next.
The next village we arrive at is busy with village women at a central water pump with some brightly colored jugs, half of them full of water, the other half waiting to be filled. I team up with Maya and we walk through the dusty roads. We stop at a house where at first it seems the lady of the house was too busy to accept us. She is carrying water jug after water jug from the community pump. We wait outside until she is done. Meanwhile, Maya explains to me that water runs to the villages only on certain days at certain times therefore, when there is running water the women are frantically trying to fill up all their water jugs because there is no telling the next time they will receive water.
The woman invites us into her home, we take off our tennis shoes and socks before entering. She serves us delicious rice and sambar (broth with vegetables) as we watch cartoons on a small TV while her son runs around us. She is not more than eighteen years old, yet she has a newborn baby, a three-year-old son and a husband. I am a astounded how already she is running her own home at an age so young, and think it comical that for me at the age of 23 the thought of getting married within the next five years let alone having children frightens me. But these are the realities and the cultural differences between us. Maya and I thank her for the meal and return back to our cycle jatha.
5/31/2009
It has been a couple days since my last entry. Finding enough time for personal business throughout the day is difficult. Even trying to go to the bathroom alone becomes impossible. Yesterday, we cycled not too far till we reached Wahrti reserve jungle, which is 3000 km large. Twenty-one of us squeezed in our Tata Sumu (this is the Indian version of carpooling) and drove off into the jungle for about 25 minutes. The jungle guide who is also with us in the Tata advises us to be quiet since wild elephants are sensitive to sound and can attack us. He warns us not to wear white clothing as it attracts them, but it is too late for precautions, all of us are wearing our white cycle jatha t-shirts and did I mention our Tata is white? We arrive and pour out of the Tata with sore behinds and legs that have fallen asleep. We observe our surroundings; we are literally in THE JUNGLE! All around us was green land and bamboo trees. I had joked in the Tata that we would be staying in small tiki huts and my prediction was not far off.
Some of the volunteers and Odanadi girls stayed in one hut, while the rest of us trekked a quarter of a mile to a neighboring hut. Our shelter was constructed with mud floors, bamboo walls and hay roofs. We didn’t have a watchdog to protect us throughout the night, but we did have Bessy, a female cow sleeping right outside our hut. She was really cute up until the next morning when I discovered she had urinated on one of my sandals.
After breakfast I learned more from Parashurum about the jungle reserve where we were staying. Apparently, there are 30-35 huts where Adivasi tribal people (equivalent to American Indians) live and work as agricultural laborers, bringing in a mere 2000-3000 rupees ($40-60 American dollars) in a period of three months. The tribal people who do not work are not in the mainstream society and live in the jungle without electricity, with only one well for water and no education for their children. I ask if they are safe in the jungle with elephants around (we had learned of an incident where a man was killed by an elephant a week earlier), but he simply replied, “are you safe where you live? They are safer here in the jungle. Animals you can control, people you cannot control, they can kill you”.
Next I inquire why more of India’s people don’t create charities or fundraise for social issues. Parashurum states that many people will give donations to only temples to ensure their blessings and places in heaven. I then ask if temples give money to charities, but Parashurum shakes his head in disappointment and tells me that the money only goes to the banks and the priests.
6/1/2009
I think it is very important to take the time to mention that not every minute of the cycle jatha is as rosy as it may seem. Although for the most part we are able to get along with each other, there are times throughout the cycle where we lose all poise. Whether it be due to the lack of sleep, hunger, exhaustion from cycling several miles a day in the dead heat of the summer, or female menstruation mixed with young female adolescent attitude, sometimes emotions run over and we are forced to take a moment (or an hour) to communicate with one another and resolve any issues that might prevent a successful cycle jatha.
One by one tonight before dinner, each of us went in a circle and vocalized any problems that we were having. There were many recurring themes throughout what I call the ‘venting session’. Many complained about their group members’ constant tardiness, and the lack of sharing. Others complained that some were receiving special treatment or more attention from volunteers. After a long discussion, we each promised to take actions to ensure equality, timeliness and respect towards one another.
…After several mixed messages and what we volunteers call “Indian time” delays, we biked to a police station down the street, planted around ten plants, rode further and stopped for lunch. The directors of Odanadi, Stanly and Parashurum met up with us and began to speak to us about the importance of getting to know the people of the communities we visit, to find out their stories and to create bonds. Stanly points to a lone woman up on a hill watching our group interact. Next, he walks a handful of us volunteers up this hill and introduces himself to this woman he has never met. She invites us all into her home; it is a small home of cow waste/mud floors and walls, a pile of dried tobacco (used to make cigarettes) leaves are piled high in the corner. This is her family’s income.
We wander to another compound where an elder woman greets us and serves us chai (milk tea) as we play with her granddaughter’s newborn baby. Three generations live in this two-bedroom house. We call all women and male elders auntie and uncle instead of by their first or last names, this is acceptable to them and makes it easier for us all to address our hosts. It feels like you are with your family and creates a warm atmosphere. Auntie asks if we have eaten and offers us food even when she has little means to feed the seven of us, but guests are treated like gods in India so she offers us food three times though we have just eaten. We thank her and rejoin the rest of our cycle team. Auntie waves us goodbye as we ride off. When I think of my first impression of India’s people I will think of Auntie and I will remember her kindness.
5/27/2009
It is day three and we are cycling through a rocky hill quite a distance before we began to pass a long stretch of land that is full of fields with flocks of goats and sheep walking through the streets, responding to their herder’s calls. I cycle past a beautiful lake surrounded by lush country before we arrive to our host’s house where we will be staying that night.
We are greeted by high Brahmin priest who we call Swami G. He is wearing an orange garb typical of a Hindu priest. We sing songs for Swami G and afterwards we walk barefoot across the road and into a field where we plant a mango tree.
The cycle jatha is a tool to bring attention to our message. And the plant is symbolic; if you take care of it, it will grow and flourish. If you take care of our women and children they will grow up to be strong. The girls turn up the earth’s soil and place the sapling into the ground. They carefully cover it with dirt, and pour a bucket of water over the fragile tree to feed it. Everyone claps in celebration and the girls look proud.
5/28/2009
Another day begins after yoga. We cycled through three villages today and stopped in each one to team up and go through roads to pass out stickers and flyers to men and women. The Odanadi girls at first are shy, but by the time we approach the third house their confidence is building and their rapport with the community members flows more easily. The flyers are we pass out has Odanadi’s address and crisis hotline phone number. It explains that if they witness any evidence of child bride marriages, rape, physical abuse, or are having a hardship within their own family that they can call this hotline number and Odanadi will help them. Some of the women ask with great interest where the number is on the flyer. They smile at our effort and we continue on till there are no more homes to visit in that village and we cycle to the next.
The next village we arrive at is busy with village women at a central water pump with some brightly colored jugs, half of them full of water, the other half waiting to be filled. I team up with Maya and we walk through the dusty roads. We stop at a house where at first it seems the lady of the house was too busy to accept us. She is carrying water jug after water jug from the community pump. We wait outside until she is done. Meanwhile, Maya explains to me that water runs to the villages only on certain days at certain times therefore, when there is running water the women are frantically trying to fill up all their water jugs because there is no telling the next time they will receive water.
The woman invites us into her home, we take off our tennis shoes and socks before entering. She serves us delicious rice and sambar (broth with vegetables) as we watch cartoons on a small TV while her son runs around us. She is not more than eighteen years old, yet she has a newborn baby, a three-year-old son and a husband. I am a astounded how already she is running her own home at an age so young, and think it comical that for me at the age of 23 the thought of getting married within the next five years let alone having children frightens me. But these are the realities and the cultural differences between us. Maya and I thank her for the meal and return back to our cycle jatha.
5/31/2009
It has been a couple days since my last entry. Finding enough time for personal business throughout the day is difficult. Even trying to go to the bathroom alone becomes impossible. Yesterday, we cycled not too far till we reached Wahrti reserve jungle, which is 3000 km large. Twenty-one of us squeezed in our Tata Sumu (this is the Indian version of carpooling) and drove off into the jungle for about 25 minutes. The jungle guide who is also with us in the Tata advises us to be quiet since wild elephants are sensitive to sound and can attack us. He warns us not to wear white clothing as it attracts them, but it is too late for precautions, all of us are wearing our white cycle jatha t-shirts and did I mention our Tata is white? We arrive and pour out of the Tata with sore behinds and legs that have fallen asleep. We observe our surroundings; we are literally in THE JUNGLE! All around us was green land and bamboo trees. I had joked in the Tata that we would be staying in small tiki huts and my prediction was not far off.
Some of the volunteers and Odanadi girls stayed in one hut, while the rest of us trekked a quarter of a mile to a neighboring hut. Our shelter was constructed with mud floors, bamboo walls and hay roofs. We didn’t have a watchdog to protect us throughout the night, but we did have Bessy, a female cow sleeping right outside our hut. She was really cute up until the next morning when I discovered she had urinated on one of my sandals.
After breakfast I learned more from Parashurum about the jungle reserve where we were staying. Apparently, there are 30-35 huts where Adivasi tribal people (equivalent to American Indians) live and work as agricultural laborers, bringing in a mere 2000-3000 rupees ($40-60 American dollars) in a period of three months. The tribal people who do not work are not in the mainstream society and live in the jungle without electricity, with only one well for water and no education for their children. I ask if they are safe in the jungle with elephants around (we had learned of an incident where a man was killed by an elephant a week earlier), but he simply replied, “are you safe where you live? They are safer here in the jungle. Animals you can control, people you cannot control, they can kill you”.
Next I inquire why more of India’s people don’t create charities or fundraise for social issues. Parashurum states that many people will give donations to only temples to ensure their blessings and places in heaven. I then ask if temples give money to charities, but Parashurum shakes his head in disappointment and tells me that the money only goes to the banks and the priests.
6/1/2009
I think it is very important to take the time to mention that not every minute of the cycle jatha is as rosy as it may seem. Although for the most part we are able to get along with each other, there are times throughout the cycle where we lose all poise. Whether it be due to the lack of sleep, hunger, exhaustion from cycling several miles a day in the dead heat of the summer, or female menstruation mixed with young female adolescent attitude, sometimes emotions run over and we are forced to take a moment (or an hour) to communicate with one another and resolve any issues that might prevent a successful cycle jatha.
One by one tonight before dinner, each of us went in a circle and vocalized any problems that we were having. There were many recurring themes throughout what I call the ‘venting session’. Many complained about their group members’ constant tardiness, and the lack of sharing. Others complained that some were receiving special treatment or more attention from volunteers. After a long discussion, we each promised to take actions to ensure equality, timeliness and respect towards one another.
Another problem that was discussed on the side between our cycle leader Christina and the volunteers was the issue of bathroom time. Some of the girls had been known to take half-hour baths when only 5-7 minute baths are allowed between 30 women who must share 3 buckets and typically one bathroom. Christina agreed that this was an issue that needed to be resolved, but explained to us that although the girls took long baths because they liked to pamper themselves, but also due to their psychological state of mind as a result of their background in the brothels. The girls were told they were dirty and impure and physically violated on so many accounts that they now will continue to bath their hair and body three times in one bath just to feel normal. Some will resort to using washing detergent for their hair or scrubbing their skin with metal scrub brushes or rocks believing it will make them more clean. It is upsetting to hear how deeply the girls are affected by their past, but the realities of their state are unavoidable. I only hope one day they will be able to overcome this psychological barrier.
6/6/2009
I am sitting on the front porch of a house outside of Arkalgud, while it is pouring rain. It has been raining for about two hours now. We had to stop because some of the girls did not have raincoats, but now it is still raining too hard and much too cold to press on. Yesterday it rained also, and suddenly I am beginning to miss the sunshine and (dare I say?) the heat. We are all huddled outside the house right now since the owners will not allow us to enter their home. They claim they are of the dalit caste (untouchables) and letting us into their home would pollute us. I am surprised that even though this system is abolished, it is still practiced none-the-less by those who are oppressed by the system.
6/9/2009
Sad news came to our attention just after our morning program. One of the volunteer’s close family friend died from cancer the day before. Anka and Bart (volunteer couple) announced their intentions to depart that day on a bus back to Bangalore and then on a plane back to Belgium. Bart joked that maybe the next time they would return back to India they would be married, and we all had a good laugh. They said their farewells and we cried. Both Bart and Anka are good-hearted people and I will miss them very much…
Our host met up with us for lunch and introduced us to Ritesh, a history buff who gave a short lecture to us about India’s patriarchal background and female inequality.
Notes from Ritesh’s lecture:
4000 years ago a tribal group from Iran introduced the caste system and low equality for women. Women were forced to remain inside their homes, refused education and a social life while men were less restricted. With the rise of male inheritance, the importance of animal livestock and agriculture, society became less egalitarian and more stratified. 4000 years ago there was a lack of systems development. For example, dowry, child/female infanticide was not practiced. Education of women, women in government will change the woman’s place in India. Poverty and education problems need to be addressed. Ignorance still exists especially among the common people and only through books and films do people’s mindset changes. This will take time.
After the lecture we cycled off to our next destination, Bycari, a Buddhist village made up of former dalit caste Indians. We cycled uphill in the dark, which made it very difficult to see with only passing car headlights as our guide. Once we arrived the whole village came out to welcome us. We were led under a large tent where we made introductions, drank chai, and sang songs. After awhile we paired up into groups of two and followed our host families to their homes. Gyatri and I stayed with a nice family in a small one-bedroom house with Auntie, Uncle, their two daughters, one son and a baby granddaughter. We ate dinner together and watched traditional Kannada dancing on their small television set and we even played with their three month old baby goat cleverly named Belly.
After dinner, I laid down my yoga mat and blanket next to Gyatri and was surprised to see that not only were we sleeping together, but also Auntie, her two daughters and her granddaughter, side by side. I thought this was odd at first, but then I began to actually feel more safe and warm throughout the night. The next morning I awoke surprisingly refreshed. We were also lucky enough to receive a steaming hot bucket bath heated by a fire, which was the first warm bath I had taken since my arrival in India. Most of our baths consisted of freezing cold water, dumped on our heads while trying not to chatter your teeth. Not very comfortable, but it wakes you up quite well.
We met up once again with most of the village members, who gave up a day’s work to host us while we carried out a discussion about why they chose to convert to the Buddhist religion since most of them used to practice Hinduism. Many women commented that for the dalit caste women, converting to Buddhism means a better lifestyle and less suffering since the Buddhist religion doesn’t believe in practicing the caste system. With Hinduism, the members complained of financial hardships because a lot of their money went to religious contributions, where with Buddhism it does not.
A women’s organization in this village practices micro-financing by collecting 20 rupees from each woman and provides financial support to women for small-scale businesses and for children’s education with low interest rates. The money loaned by this women’s organization is seen as more beneficial to the community because it helps encourage self-sufficiency, and frees the community from going to banks for loans with large interest rates or begging for money from the upper class families and working off the debt by carrying out slave labor.
6/14/2009
I am sitting outside waiting anxiously to leave. It has been a rough night for myself and for many of the Odanadi girls. Most of the experiences we have had with our host communities have been pleasant, but this was not the case last night. After cycling about 50 kilometers yesterday we were all excited to eat dinner and bathe. We broke off into groups of three (I was with Shruthi and Preethi) and made way to our host families. Not long after our arrival to our host family, the women asked Shruthi and Preethi what caste they were from, to which they replied they were not a part of any caste. Since Odanadi directors Stanly and Parashurum do not acknowledge the caste system as it perpetuates inequality, they have advised the girls to respond to questions about their caste with a simple statement that they are strong Indian women and that they are a part of no caste. For our hosts, this was viewed as unacceptable and they chose to equate the three of us as low caste members. Their house was modern, with electricity, a bathroom equipped with a squat toilet and a place for bucket baths, but we were refused use of these amenities and led outside to the front of the house with a bucket of water to brush our teeth and relieve ourselves, even though anyone curious enough to look outside their windows or walk by would be able to see us. Shruthi and Preethi explained to me before we went to sleep that the family were conservative Shiva Lingites and therefore they would not allow us to pollute their house in certain ways.
This morning we ate breakfast and immediately after the girls packed up their belongings and rushed to meet up with the rest of our group. Walking up, I noticed Tawney’s disappointed face; her experience was even less pleasant. Their group was refused access to the toilet/bathing facilities, advised not to touch the host’s children, and were given separate mats and pillows to sleep on. When dinner was prepared they were told they would eat after the men. Luckily, one of our Odanadi male volunteers, Ramesh, refused to this and demanded they eat together to which they did.
6/15/2009
Last night, we gathered up into our groups and discussed how we were all feeling. Sarah, another volunteer and an Odanadi representative brought up the caste incident from yesterday. She informed us that before leaving the village the head community member was approached and given feedback about the caste discrimination that occurred and it was suggested for him to speak with his community about the issue. We reassured the girls that they should not be discouraged by one village’s actions, that there was nothing inferior about them and that the community members are simply uneducated about the unjust system. What is interesting is that many of these girls whom are from high castes chose to relinquish their status to fight against the perpetuation of “caste-ism”. They stood up for equality, which I find remarkable.
6/17/2009
Right now I am sitting in a small sunlit room with the girls while we patiently wait for our morning chai to arrive. I had a good morning yoga stretch and a peaceful sleep last night after Sean, an Odanadi volunteer, gave me and several other girls acupuncture to heal our pains from cycling. It was my first time receiving acupuncture. I think I might have had seven needles in me, but there was no pain at all. Pain is cycling when your knees are killing you and you can hear your knee joint popping with every push of your pedal.
As we are coming to the end of the cycle the girls are getting more and more sad that our journey will be over soon. They are already beginning to ask for our e-mail addresses and asking us to write sentimental goodbyes in their notebooks. Last night I stumbled upon Venita (Odanadi girl) and Sharon (volunteer) crying together in a corner. Everyone is upset the cycle jatha is winding down. Aside from all the hardships throughout the cycle; the intense heat, the monsoon rain, sleeping on the ground somewhere different every night, and cycling sometimes very long distances, we don’t want the cycle jatha to end because it means the singing, the laughter, and the sleepovers will be over and we will have to return home.
6/22/2009
It has been madness the last couple days. We all made it back to Mysore safely a couple days ago. The last day of the cycle our guide decided to avoid roads with heavy traffic and we ended up taking a longer route with several large hills. Some of the girls got flat tires, one bike had lost a seat and it had begun to rain heavily a couple kilometers away from the Odanadi home. It didn’t matter at this point, we cycled on with our flat tires and when we reached Odanadi all of the other girls ran out to greet us. The feeling of exhaustion and excitement was overwhelming. We just cycled 1000 kilometers for 30 days across India from village to village!
The cycle jatha has been a success in so many ways. We reached out and made connections with each community that we visited, we spread our message about protecting the environment, and educated people about human trafficking. But most importantly the girls regained their self-confidence. In the remaining days we spent with the girls we could see that they stood taller, spoke more assured, and they smiled brighter.
Thanks to the other volunteers for allowing me to use their pictures for my blog. Also, a very special thanks to Mark for editing my blog and giving me advise throughout the film editing process.
Further Resources
Below are a few links related to human trafficking, the cycle jatha as well as Odanadi. They are worthy reads that I highly recommend.
Link to Odanadi homepage and Odanadi UK homepage
Short film about Odanadi
Fact sheet about trafficking in India
http://www.catwinternational.org/factbook/india.php
Trafficking in Persons Report 2009
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009/123132.htm
Link to Odanadi cycle sister and journalist Sarah Harris' entry about her first brothel raid
Link to Sarah's London Times article
Link to Odanadi cycle sister and journalist Paula Arab's story about the cycle jatha
Link to Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine article
Link to September Odanadi newsletter
http://www.odanadi-uk.org/assets/files/Odanadi%20Newsletter_Sept.pdf
Link to Times of India article about Odanadi marriage
http://mobiletoi.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=7§id=edid=&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=27-10-2009&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Bangalore&edname=&articleid=Ar00704&publabel=TOI
Organizations against human trafficking
Links to books that offer a wealth of information about human trafficking
Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery
Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade and How We Can Fight It
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
Link to writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's homepage, her books offer insight about the Indian woman's experience
Link to UCLA video lecture about human trafficking
Link to photographer Palani Mohan’s slideshow Vivid Colors of Asia
Recommended films
Slumdog Millionaire
Born Into Brothels
Human Trafficking
Umrao Jaan
Water
Taken
Recommended short films
Pretty (Bad Ass) in Pink
Child Trafficking (audio slightly off)
Trailer for Lucy Liu's documentary "Red Light"
Sex Slave Art (audio slightly off)
Dubai Prostitution
Human Trafficking Occurs Around the World
http://current.com/items/88883461_human-trafficking-occurs-around-the-world.htm
NPR Audio Links about Human Trafficking
Links related to Crystal
