PANAJI: Victims rescued from prostitution and lodged at different government and non-government shelter homes across the country are reportedly unable to exchange the demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes as they are not allowed to go out due to safety reasons while many of them do not have bank accounts.
In view of this, the Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), an NGO from Goa has sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the information ARZ is working towards combating human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation and is the nodal NGO of integrated anti-human trafficking unit of the Goa Police.
“Sir, I would like to request you to intervene in the matter to ensure that the inmates of shelter homes across India are able to exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 with the bank as this money will be of great help in planning their future, post-exit from commercial sexual exploitation,” Arun Pandey, director, ARZ has stated in the letter addressed to the Prime Minister.
The victims lodged at different government and non- government shelter homes across India are not allowed to go out of the institution due to their safety and many of them do not have bank accounts, as a result they are unable to exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination notes, Pandey has mentioned in the letter.
According to Pandey, inability of inmates to exchange demonetised notes may result in victims losing the money, which they have saved or managed to get from the brothel keepers and traffickers due to the intervention of police and NGOs.
The letter further reads, “Across India, after the victims of commercial sexual exploitation are rescued by the police under section 15 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (ITPA), 1956 are admitted to shelter homes (protective home or children’s home) for safe custody and protection under the orders of the magistrate”.
In this regard, earlier Pandey has also written to the authorities in Goa pertaining to the victims lodged at protective home, Merces.
According to the information there are around 15 victims including some foreign nationals lodged at protective home at Merces.