Tender Hands

Recent studies indicate that of the estimated 9,000,000 prostitutes (Commercial Sex Workers, CSW) working in India, some 30% or 2,700,000 are children. A further 10% reported that they had started their 'career' in prostitution before they were 18 years of age. A large number of these children are trafficked from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal. (ECPAT International, A Step Forward)

The problem of child prostitution in India is more complicated than in other Developing countries where it is directly related to sex tourism. In India, sexual exploitation of children has its roots in traditional practices, beliefs and gender discrimination.
The highest prices go for the youngest girls, many of whom have been kidnapped from other countries and trafficked to India, or sold by their own families into the industry for as little as $ 100 USD. The best prevention is by getting the next generation of girls out of the brothels, this should happen by the time a CSW’s daughter reaches the age of 7 or the brothel owner will acquire her.

These women did not choose this profession; they were forced, kidnapped or sold into it. Regardless of how they got into it, they no longer have a family to return home, they have no money and no education (most are illiterate). The only ‘hope’ they have for making money is staying with the only person they are completely dependent on and is also the same person that ‘bought’ them to begin with. That is the brothel owner.

Tender Hands also works with woman from other backgrounds challenged by life, such as run away teenagers who have now grown into woman. Or woman who have eloped with their boyfriend only to have that husband leave them and are now stranded on the street. Or woman who have immigrated to Bombay with their husbands only to be deserted and left to fend for themselves on the street. Or woman who were about to be forced into marriages and chose to run away instead. Or woman who have suffered at the hand of domestic violence and had to leave for their safety. These woman need a voice, a safe haven to heal, to learn and to become self-sustaining members of society.