Need to penalise sex buyers

Vijayawada: Expressing concern over the child trafficking in the country, A R Anuradha, Principal Secretary of the Home Department, said here on Wednesday that there was need to curb the demand for sex by penalising the persons who were ready to buy sex.

She was addressing a meeting on ‘Child trafficking and sexual exploitation’ organised jointly by the Department of Women and Child Welfare, two NGOs Help and Girls Advocacy Alliance and Netherland-based organisation Terre des homes (Stop child exploitation). The meeting was inaugurated by H Arun Kumar, Commissioner of Women and Child Welfare Department.

Anuradha said that the Bill intended for penalising the buyers of sex has been placed in the website of the department for suggestions from various sections. “After enacting the criminalisation of sex buyers’ Bill it would help stop the child sexual abuse,” she hoped.

Appreciating the efforts of the NGO, Help, for taking pains in preparing the report on the Study on Child Trafficking in AP and TS, Commissioner Arun Kumar said that such studies would help the administration to take measures to curb the child trafficking.

Dr Pravin Patkar who conducted the study elaborated the results of the report. British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming said that the British government would help the State administration to curb the menace of trafficking.

Nimmaraju Rammohan, secretary of Help, thanked various government departments including child and women welfare department, CID and media for extending cooperation in curbing the menace.

DCP (Crime) Rajakumari said that the police personnel are being sensitised over the subject to enable them to take stern action in case they come across such incidents. “The police should show empathy towards the victims of trafficking,” she added. 

Rajakumari said that she was happy that more and more people were coming forward to lodge complaints unlike in the past. “It is high time such people were exposed,” she added.

State Women’s Commission member Parveen Bano, Deputy Director (Prosecutions) Ramakoteswara Rao, Child Rights Commissioner members Padmalata, K Appa Rao, Girls Advocacy Alliance programme manager Subrotkumar Panda and others participated.