Sold for Rs. 50,000.
Sold for 10 sarees.
Human trafficking remains one of the world’s most widespread yet underreported crimes.
In 2022, detected trafficking cases globally rose by 25% compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Around 69,000 victims were identified across 156 countries. Adult women formed 39% of victims, while girls accounted for another 22%.
Sexual exploitation remained the biggest reason behind trafficking.
And recent cases from India show that for many women and girls, exploitation can begin inside their own homes and families.
Sold By The Husband
In Gujarat, police recently rescued a 26-year-old woman who was allegedly sold by her own husband for Rs. 50,000.
The accused, identified as Nikesh Patel, first tried to tell police that his wife had gone missing. But during questioning, investigators said he eventually confessed that he had arranged to sell her because he disliked her.
Police alleged that Patel, along with accomplices, lured the woman away under the excuse of travelling. She was then allegedly handed over to other men and kept in confinement.
After being rescued, the woman told police that she was gangraped and sexually assaulted during captivity.
The case has once again raised questions about how easily women can become victims of trafficking and abuse, sometimes at the hands of people closest to them.
When Poverty Turns Into Exploitation
Another case from Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli involved a 12-year-old girl allegedly being sold by her own mother.
Police said the woman was under financial strain and agreed to sell her daughter for Rs. 16,000 and 10 sarees to a widower named Lahru Yadav.
Investigators alleged that Yadav organised a sham marriage with the child before repeatedly raping her and forcing her to work as domestic help.
But the abuse did not end there.
Police said that after being warned that the marriage could create legal trouble, Yadav allegedly abandoned the girl at a railway station in Varanasi.
There, an auto driver named Ravi Verma allegedly approached her pretending to help, took her to a secluded area and raped her.
The child was later rescued after police found her wandering and crying in Varanasi’s Sarnath area.
Not Just An India Problem
Trafficking linked to poverty, conflict and survival pressures is being reported worldwide.
In Afghanistan, reports by the BBC have documented families selling daughters because of extreme hunger and economic collapse. In several cases, girls were exchanged for money, food or promises of support.
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that women and girls continue to be treated as commodities during financial crises and humanitarian emergencies.
The problem cuts across borders, incomes and societies.
The Numbers India Is Dealing With
Data from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs showed that around 7,000 trafficking victims were rescued in 2022. More than half of them were women and girls.
However, activists and law enforcement agencies have often pointed out that trafficking remains underreported because victims fear retaliation, social stigma or further violence.
Trafficking can take several forms. Some victims are forced into sexual exploitation. Others are pushed into domestic labour, forced marriages, begging networks or bonded work.
Children are especially vulnerable because they often depend entirely on adults for protection and survival.
What Does Indian Law Say?
Article 23 of the Indian Constitution prohibits trafficking in human beings.
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, trafficking-related offences can lead to punishments ranging from seven years imprisonment to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the crime and the nature of exploitation.
India also has laws dealing with child protection, sexual offences and bonded labour. But repeated cases continue to show the gap between legal protection and ground reality.
