Mental health of trafficked survivors matters!

Varalika Mishra

Pallabi Ghosh says, “Mental health is critical as girls and women are constantly stigmatized, their family don’t even understand the trauma they went through, and there are severe consequences.” Born and raised in Lumding, Assam, Ghosh has rescued over more than 7,000 girls and boys from trafficking. According to her, trafficking greatly impacts the individual’s mental health. She has rescued hundreds of women and children from child marriage, forced marriage, child labour and prostitution. “Trafficking is a heinous crime. Most people get lured into it for a job, marriage, or love. They are innocent people who do not realise the consequences of what they are getting into. They come from vulnerable areas of remote India. My work focuses on post-rescue rehabilitation, where we counsel trafficking survivors and monitor them constantly for behavioural issues. Every 15 days, I analyze their physical, social, and psychological status and gradually reduce the frequency once we see healing. Just rescue doesn’t ensure recovery,” she adds.

According to reports, most girls die by suicide due to the discrimination they face after being rescued. According to Pallabi, the real work starts post-rescue as that is when a supportive environment needs to be provided to the survivors for holistic development, and it is not an easy job to implement. Pallabi is the founder of Impact and Dialogue Foundation which helps in implementing various workshops for the survivors and in sensitizing the system about trafficking.

Impact and Dialogue Foundation provides destigmatization workshops for the members of the system, like families, social welfare officers, police, and other stakeholders, ensuring that they look at the survivor with dignity. It is crucial to realize that survivors are not responsible for getting trafficked in society. “I need much assistance in making people understand that trafficked survivors must heal and reliving the stories repeatedly through different types of questioning by the media and courts further aggravates their pain,” says Ghosh.
Impact and Dialogue Foundation creating a difference

“Our work is creating a difference. We have girls coming up sharing their stories, being a part of the policy and decision-making process, are a part of our stitching centres, along with kitchen gardens and self-help groups. They earn some money which gives them empowerment. We conduct vocational training and arrange for the survivors to learn computer skills and English-speaking courses to build their confidence further. We drive various workshops to help them get skilled and represent themselves in society,” adds Pallabi. With Impact & Dialogue Foundation, she aims to create awareness about trafficking of all forms. Contact +91-9811737441, Email- impactdialoguefoundation@gmail.com for any assistance.

AIM against gambling in melas

The Awakening Indian Movement (AIM) has sought the intervention of the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills district to ensure a blanket ban on gambling at melas being organized by different agencies.

Speaking to media persons, chairman of AIM Bansharai Marbaniang said that many people from other part of the country come to Meghalaya to host various kinds of melas, however these melas have games that encourage gambling with money which is detrimental and have a negative impact on the welfare of the people.

Marbaniang alleged that melas throughout the country are being held in order to provide entertainment to all citizens where they can experience happiness especially for children, students, and youth but at present melas in Meghalaya are being held with gambling which have detrimental and a negative impact on the welfare of the people.

“During our visit to the mela held at the Parking Lot outside Polo Ground in Shillong, the mela hosted various gambling activities with money and young people and students in uniform participated in various gambling games” said Marbaniang.

Marbaniang said that AIM is not against organizing melas in the state, however it stands against the act of gambling that is being held at the venues hence the AIM sought the intervention into this matter.

Cheristerfield Thangkiew’s death: Govt to first study explanation by Tactical Team – I

Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong today said the government will decide on the action after going through the explanation submitted by the Tactical Team-I, which had conducted the operation at the residence of former HNLC leader (L) Cheristerfield Thangkhiew which led to his death on August 13, 2021.

“Let the process start. Right now the department has just received the explanation (submitted by Tactical Team-I). We will go through all of it. Once that is done we will see what action will be taken,” Tynsong told reporters.

The explanation was sought by the state government after the report of the One Man Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice T Vaiphei was tabled in the Assembly’s autumn session held last year.

The report stated that the operation was well planned but poorly executed since the team was supposed to capture (L) Thangkhiew alive.

Justice T Vaiphei in his report had stated: “Therefore, my finding is that the Tactical Team-I in carrying out the operation to arrest the deceased at his residence on August 13, 2021 at about 3 AM was culpable of thoughtless and excessive use of force, which resulted in the death of the deceased, late Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, which turned out to be avoidable,” Justice Vaiphei said in his report.

“In my considered view, the post facto excuse that none but the deceased was hurt cannot be a valid justification for carrying out the operation hastily and in a reckless manner by the Tactical Team-I,” he added.

The report had said the common thread of evidence running through the statements of these state witnesses is that the objective of the operation was professed to be simply to capture the deceased alive and not to shoot at him.

That was the decision taken in the tactical meeting held prior to the operation.

“In my considered view, the operation was a well-plan, but executed poorly, recklessly, hastily and without proper application of mind,” Justice Vaiphei had said adding “In order words, it was a botched-up operation and failing in its objective of apprehending the deceased alive, who would have given valuable information to the police about the subversive activities of the proscribed HNLC outfit.”