Why does the mental health of survivors not become normal even after escaping human trafficking?

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Human trafficking is a big shock for any person, but an even bigger trauma is felt when people around you start looking at you with bad intentions, in such a situation it becomes difficult to make life normal.Human Trafficking Survivors and Their Mental Health: Human trafficking is a big crime due to which the lives of many children, old and young people change completely. Some victims remain trapped in this quagmire for their entire life, where they are treated like animals, or they are pushed into the world of crime. Some lucky people are rescued by the police, but the problems do not go away even after returning home. The people of their society look at the survivors with a bad eye, and make various allegations, which affects their mental health. Some people become so upset that they start thinking of suicide. Here we will learn about those 2 incidents in which we will get a chance to understand the struggle of people rescued from human trafficking.

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Life changes due to human trafficking

“When I woke up, I was on a train, far from home,” recalls Puja (name changed), who at the tender age of 17 was trafficked by a friend she had met online just a few months earlier. She had no idea that the person she trusted so much would betray her so ruthlessly. Her friend had promised her a job in a call centre, claiming it would help her support her family, but she was drugged and taken from West Bengal to Ahmedabad during the journey.

It has a bad effect on mental health

This horrific experience had a devastating impact on Pooja's mental health. Even after being rescued, she continued to suffer from flashbacks, nightmares and extreme anxiety. The betrayal by someone she trusted caused her immense psychological distress, leaving her in a state of fear and anxiety. The trauma of being trafficked, exploited and deceived not only broke her trust but also affected her emotional well-being, resulting in long-term mental health struggles.

Human trafficking cases are on the rise

She is not the only one to face such an incident, but several reports suggest that after being rescued, survivors often face a lack of access to counselling or mental health professionals during rehabilitation. This gap in support can exacerbate the trauma they suffer, making their recovery even more challenging. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report in 2022, a total of 2,250 cases of human trafficking were registered in the year 2022, which is 2.8% more than the 2,189 cases registered in 2021. Of the 6,036 victims of the reported cases, 2,878 were children and 3,158 were adults.

Trouble happens even after rescue

Puja's ordeal lasted for four months, during which she was taken to Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai and then Kolkata. In 2017, after months of torture, she was finally rescued from West Bengal, where her abductors had hidden her, thinking her family would never find her. Yet when she returned home, society's judgement only added to her misery. 

It is not easy to return to normal life

After her rescue, Puja spent six months with her aunt in Kolkata, where she had to deal with stigma and harsh accusations from her community. She was labelled and blamed for events that were beyond her control. This emotional trauma pushed her to the brink of suicide. Yet with the unwavering support of her family, Puja slowly regained her strength and courage. After months of mental anguish, she finally decided to return to her community and rebuild her life.

Life doesn't stop even after trauma

Puja did not lose hope. She married a man who supported her every step of the way. Today, they have been married for 8 years and have a 6-year-old son. Puja is now pursuing her degree in sociology, fulfilling a dream she once thought was lost. She is also an active member of ILFAT, a national platform run by trafficking survivors, and works with Bijoyini, a local collective in West Bengal, to raise awareness about human trafficking in schools, panchayats and villages. Once on the verge of ending her own life, she now counsels trafficking survivors through her knowledge, using her story to help others heal.

Child trafficking is also a matter of concern

Sunil Kumar (name changed)'s experience is similar to Puja's in many ways. At the age of 14, he was lured from his boarding school in Bihar with false promises of work, taken to Jaipur and forced to work 12 to 18 hours a day in a bangle-making factory. The four months he spent in the factory felt like a lifetime to Sunil as he and the other children endured brutality, were given little food and very little rest. One day the police raided the factory and rescued them, and Sunil was placed in child protection for four months.

Mental trauma causes suffering

He faced new challenges when he returned. His community labelled him a criminal, saying, “Jail se nikal ke aaya hai, qaidi hai ye”. At 14, Sunil was too young to understand what had happened to him and was confused and ashamed, and felt guilty about his own victimisation. Mentally exhausted, he felt his life was over.

In 2020, a local group called 'Vijeta' in Bihar found Sunil and provided him with much-needed support. In 2021, he joined 'ILFAT' and began advocating for the rights of survivors of human trafficking, child labour and child marriage. Now, at the age of 19, Sunil helps rescued children deal with mental health challenges and works hard to raise awareness in schools and villages about the dangers of human trafficking.

Life is the name of living

Both Puja and Sunil's stories highlight not just the physical abuse suffered by trafficking survivors, but also the deep emotional and mental scars that remain long after they are rescued. Their experiences remind us of the importance of addressing the mental health struggles of trafficking survivors and ensuring they get what they need to rebuild their lives.