NT Reporter
Panaji
Sex trafficking into Goa by air is on the rise due to its speed, low risk, and the ease of luring victims at short notice, said Arun Pandey, director and founder of anti-sex trafficking NGO Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), during a training programme for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Dabolim airport.
Pandey provided training to CISF officials on the IVR model developed by ARZ, which stands for Identification of victim, Verification if she is a victim, and Reporting to local police or immigration. He highlighted that Goa is not only a major destination for sex trafficking but also a source state for the Middle East.
The awareness session on anti-human trafficking was organised by the Goa State Women’s Commission (GSWC) in collaboration with the Dabolim Airport Authority on January 9. The programme was inaugurated by airport director Flight Lt Akash Deep and GSWC chairperson Ranjita Pai. Deep said such training programmes would be organised more frequently and extended to other airport staff, while Pai pledged to continue such initiatives in the future.
Pandey, the resource person for the session, said ARZ has been training agencies involved in transportation of persons, including railway staff, railway police, and the CISF, on the IVR model to strengthen identification and reporting mechanisms for victims of sex trafficking.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, observed on January 11, aims to raise awareness about human trafficking, educate the public about its signs, and promote actions to support survivors and hold traffickers accountable. It is a reminder of the importance of prevention and the need for collective action against this serious human rights violation.
