PROSECUTING CUSTOMERS IS NECESSARY

Focus is on trafficker and victims during raids and not customers.

Victims do not register complaints, without which police cannot raid private properties.

Lack of informer networks to identify CSEoC rackets, profiles of customers.

POCSO is used in cases of rape and sexual abuse but not in CSEoC.

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN (CSEoC) IN TELANGANA

The Devdasi custom was legally banned in Andhra Pradesh in 1988, through AP Devdasi (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1988. But the state government framed rules in 2015 only. According to Justice Raghunath Rao’s report, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have together accounted for about 80,000 Devdasi women in 2015. Child prostitution in Telangana is closely connected to cultural and religious practices. Yadagirigutta, known as a temple town, is famous for its organised child prostitution business.

Brothel-based child prostitution exists as evidenced from Yadagirigutta and Ramayampet in Medak district raids. Most of the children are housed in private apartments and difficult to identifly.

My bad days started after my mother’s death. One day he touched me and kissed me everywhere. I thought he is my father and is showing his love towards me as a father, but I was wrong because he raped me the next day. I was shocked and traumatised. My father did not spare me and next day got two men and locked me in a room with them. They forced me by saying that my father sold me to them, says a young victim.

Our identities were revealed names of our villages or specifics of our case story were revealed due to which we were called ‘prostitutes’ and ‘girls in business’ in our villages as our photos were published, says another young victim.