Rescue
INTRODUCTION
Rescue is the right of every victim. It is a paramount duty of both state and non-state partners to strive towards removing every victim from places of exploitation. Unfortunately only 7% of the victims get ever rescued. More than 93% of the victims continue to languish in slavery like conditions for years together and die succumbing to various diseases.
Planned Rescue Operations
Source of Information
Missing complaint Elope cases Informers Concerned Citizens Shelter residents
Types of Rescues
Inter-state Rescues Intra-state Rescues International Rescues
Rescue Locations
Red light areas Local Brothels Soliciting at public places Spas, Beauty Parlours, Resorts and Apartments
Stakeholders Involved
Local Police ATHU , CID Local NGO Partners Dept of Women & Child Child Welfare Committees
Primary cause of sexual slavery
Sold by BF/Husband – 40%
Sold by family – 15%
Lured for jobs – 15%
Lured by love – 10%
Others – 20%
Age group of victims
3yrs to 40 yrs
Last Completed Education
20% illiterate
40% semi-literate
40% High School Pass
Financial Status
Very poor – 60%
Middle Income – 30%
Well-to-do 10%
Vikalpa
Provide counseling support to victims for exit from prostitution
Profile and counsel sex buyers and perpetrators and map their area and operations to curb crime at entry and exit points of trafficking
Provide legal and psychological assistance to victims and families of aggravated sexual assault
VIKALPA-A POLICE-PRAJWALA PARTNERSHIP UNIT
Rape Victim Support Program (RVSP)
Provide immediate trauma care and support to child victim of rape and her family.
Facilitate victim friendly legal processes from the registration of case until conviction
Provide safe home for victims facing threat perception until the end of trail.
Liason for victim compensation from competant authorities
POST RESCUE PROTOCOL
Viictim Witness Protection
Post admission
- Victim Witness Statement Assistance
- Recover victims belongings and minor children from the place of exploitation/brothel
- Assist in preparation of victims to identify accused
- Prepare victims for court procedure – for cross examination both chief and cross
For Release
- Assists courts in validating the identity of the claimant
- File for release petitions for victims in court if no family member claims custody
For reintegration
- Conduct Home Investigations to ensure safe family and community environment for victims for family reintegration
- Safely drop the victims back home across the country after receiving release orders from the court
- Collaborate with respective country’s embassy and international NGO for repatriation of international victims
- Follow up with released victims to ensure their well being and that they are not being re-trafficked
Others
- Collaborate with Child Welfare Committee for legal formalities involving child victims, facilitating parent visits for minors
- Collaborate with public prosecutor for conviction of traffickers and exploiters
- Collaborate with various welfare departments for civic benefits provision such as housing scheme, Aadhar card, Ration card
RESTORATION UNIT
Till date(2017) 18,500 victims of commercial sexual exploitation have been rescued from various places of exploitation
HIV COUNSELING
In the year 2002, for the first time in the state of Andhra Pradesh the health ministry through the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society introduced the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers(VCTC). These centers managed by a HIV Counselor provide vital support in not just identifying positive persons but also ensuring psycho-social support through counseling.
Prajwala was identified by the State to screen, recruit, train , place and monitor all the HIV counselors placed both in the VCTC and the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission Centers(PMTCT). 140 counselors were trained and placed in 122 Hospitals in 88 VCTCs and 34 PMTCT projects in the year 2002.
BATCH |
No.of Counselors |
No .of Centres PMTCT |
VCTC |
I (Apr 02) |
15 |
7 |
2 |
II (May 02) |
18 |
4 |
12 |
III (Jun 02) |
15 |
2 |
15 |
IV (Jul 02) |
23 |
1 |
19 |
V (Aug 02) |
18 |
- |
17 |
VI (Oct 02) |
16 |
- |
10 |
VII (Feb 03) |
28 |
14 |
2 |
VIII (Apr03) |
|||
TOTAL |
140 |
34 |
88 |
The induction training for these counselors covered different issues related toHIV/AIDS such as:
- The HIV/AIDS Epidemiology
- STI, RTI & PMTCT program
- Role of counseling –pre and post test
- A familiarization with ones own understanding of Sex and Sexuality-which is vital for a free and unbiased counseling interaction.
- Counseling techniques and the qualities of a good counselor
- Care and support in HIV/AIDS Management
- Recording and Documentation
These issues were addressed by a select group of specialist doctors and mental health professionals who form the Prajwala core team of trainers.
Anti Retroviral Counseling Center
In the last 23 years the HIV virus, which causes the syndrome AIDS has grown from a series of outbreaks in several groups into a global public calamity. In these 23 years several studies have been made to study this virus and the disease to find a possible solution for the cure. However till date there has been no cure for AIDS. In the last one decade there have been some landmark developments such as drug to prevent mother to child transmission. This drug reduces the risk of transmission of HIV from mother to child from 35% to 10%. Similarly, drugs collectively known as antiretroviral drugs have been found that prevent replication of HIV in the body. Therefore today the treatment of HIV infection has some answers.
This treatment approach can be summarized as:
- Preventing the replication of virus by antiretroviral drugs
- Treatment of opportunistic infections
- Psychosocial support
Since ART is a recent development, most people living with HIV/AIDS are not even aware of these drugs. Those few who are aware are not clear about the implications of these drugs and live with a lot myths and misconceptions. It is in this context that counseling plays an important role. In collaboration with Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society, Prajwala started the Anti-Retroviral Counseling center in Osmania General Hospital in the year 2004.Till date over 13,073 have benefited through the counseling center.
