This past month, I had the amazing opportunity to work with Asha Nepal (www.ashanepal.org). This is a place where sexually abused/ exploited women and children live to rehabilitate them back into everyday life. When my team was able to sit down with our contact, he was able to share some of the stories of the women and children and brought me to tears as I was listening to what these girls go through.
I would like to share some of the facts that I was presented with that day.
- 90% of women trafficked are between the ages of 13-17 years
- Many children from Nepal are trafficked to India
- Young girls are generally sold by their family members such as brothers, fathers and friends of the family, sometimes even their pastors will sell them
- Girls that are bought are put into little cages where they will “work” for 3-5 years to pay off their debt
- In these cages, girls are often sold to the highest bidder (typically a wealthy business man). These men believe that having sex with a young girl will cleanse him of any sins, curses, and diseases
- These young girls are forced to sleep with several men every day and if they disagree, the girls are often beated, tied up, struck with hot irons, ect. , and if the girls try to put up a fight, they are bound and gangraped until they are numb to what is happening
- After a girl has worked off her initial debt, the girl is still a slave because she still has to pay off other expenses such as living expense, food and other things which generally have at least a 30% interest rate. Even if everything is paid off, often collectors will come around to collect more money
- Prostitution of under-aged girls is illegal but the police will look the other way when given money/bribe
- During police raids, madams (lady owners) will often force the young girls to hide in secret rooms, water holders, or even on the roof so they are not found
- Children whose mothers are prostitutes are often in the room while their mothers work; often under or nest to the bed while their mother is working
- 30,000 women are said to be prostitutes in Kathmandu alone, but many say the number is higher
- People from Nepal are often looked down on, esp. in India because India does not consider Nepal a country
Although these facts make my heart cringe and probably yours too, I am so encouraged by what Asha Nepal is doing. Asha Nepal has given these women and children safety, counseling, training, and education. It is a place where rescued women and children are able to gain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and puts them back on their feet. It is a place that is giving these women and children value. They are no longer items to be sold to the highest bidder, but rather precious to the most High King.
The girls, minus the older ones. I absolutey loved these girls a lot.
