TRAFFICKED VICTIMS TO BE REPATRIATED BACK HOME

PANJIM: In order to ensure that trafficked victims are not kept in the state protective home for a long period due to lack of money and escorts to repatriate them to their home state, the Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) has decided to ask the government to make funds available with the superintendent of the protective home.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the commission last week. Confirming this, the GSCW chairperson Ezilda Sapeco said, "We decided to take up the matter of trafficked victim's repatriation with the government as it has come to our notice that even after the protective home panel issues an order to rehabilitate them to their hometown, the girls are kept in Goa for a long period due to delay in getting the money to send them back".

"At present, once it is decided to repatriate the victims to their hometown, the protective home authorities have to write to the women and child director asking for money, who is turn has to write to the finance department. It is a long process. Instead, we are requesting the government to give a fixed amount which is enough to repatriate four women at a time to the protective home superintendent," added Sapeco.

It may be recalled that a few months ago, 11 trafficked victims, who were rescued from a night club in Calangute by the crime branch and lodged at the protective home, tried to escape from the state run protective home at Merces, as they were upset that although the protective home panel had issued an order to rehabilitate them to their hometown in July, they were not released from the home for almost three months.

On being questioned, the girls said that they were upset that they were detained at the home for so long and wanted to go back home.