ASIA/INDIA - Year of the consecrated life: Sisters in brothels to save the enslaved prostitutes

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Calcutta (Agenzia Fides) - For the Indian religious women the Year of consecrated Life means a strong return to the contemplative dimension but also a renewed commitment to action: with this awareness, a group of four sisters of Calcutta, of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate go to the brothels of the city where many girls are forced into prostitution or are enslaved by unscrupulous traffickers. Their work has helped to save many girls. This work, for the benefit of exploited and defenseless women - said Sister Sharmi Souza, of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate in a note sent to Fides - "is also a positive response to the message of Pope Francis for the next World Day of Peace, which urges to fight modern forms of slavery".
"In a single night, we rescued 37 girls", she said, 10 were minors. The sisters offer support and assistance to women, who then provide information to the police in order to stop the traffickers. Sometimes the police refuse to go to the brothels, because they too have been corrupted by traffickers.
To save women reduced to slavery is one of the commitments of the Indian religious women during the Year of Consecrated Life.
According to data of the Government of India, more than 3 million women worked in the sex trade in 2007, 35.47% were under 18 years of age. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2014)


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