Minor reveals involvement in sexual activity due to poverty – myRepublica

KATHMANDU, Sept 12: In recent times, young girls are often seen cleaning and washing dishes in hotels, restaurants and eateries in Kathmandu Valley. There is also a growing concern that some individuals are taking advantage of the situation and exploiting these girls for sexual crimes. These girls are often forced to drop out of school and are lured into engaging in sexual activities. Such incidents are gradually increasing in our society. Such girls are being abused in the eateries and hotels in the valley.

Such incidents of violence against girls also occur due to the financial burden of their families. They have been victims of sexual violence including sexual exploitation. Moreover, caste and gender discrimination is more affected by poverty.

Girls seeking economic opportunities have become instruments of sexual exploitation by men. A girl was used to fulfill the sexual desires of customers who came to a restaurant in Satdobato, Lalitpur. The girl, who had been living with her maternal uncle’s family since her early childhood due to a rift between her parents, was deeply attached to her maternal grandparents, who were like parents to her.

She loved her maternal grandfather and grandmother more than her parents. She left school when she was in grade 2 and started taking responsibility for the household due to her family’s poor financial situation.

She also thought about finding a job outside the household. The 16-year-old girl told the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau (AHTB) that her goal was to take care of her elderly grandparents. She had come to Kathmandu in the hope of improving her family’s financial situation, but unfortunately, she became a victim of sexual exploitation.

The 16-year-old victim said: “In search of work, I worked in different places, such as as a labourer, cleaning other people’s houses and painting furniture. However, through an elder sister, I got an opportunity to work in a restaurant.”

She said that on July 27, a woman named Asmita, who lived in a nearby room, lured her with the promise of finding a job. Asmita had told her that the New Namaste Restaurant and Bar in Satdobato, Lalitpur, was looking for employees. Then Asmita took her to the restaurant and introduced her to the manager, Rajib Lama.

The owner Lama had told her, “Your duties here include washing dishes and cleaning. I will pay you Rs 6,000 per month.” The victim said she started working there on July 12 last year as she was exempted from paying room rent and was provided with food and accommodation.

She said, “They had a guesthouse next to the restaurant. I worked there for two or three weeks, cleaning and washing dishes.” She recalled what the owner Rajiv had told her and added, “Just washing dishes won’t improve your life. How much can you send home? Instead, stay with the customers in the restaurant. By doing that, the customers can order more. During your stay, they can make physical contact with you, so don’t hesitate. If they want physical relations with you, you can do that with them.”

The owner Lama had told her, “Other girls are also earning from similar work. They have made so much progress. If you make physical contact with the customers, I will keep half of the money they give and give you the remaining money.”

She said the lama told her that there is nothing wrong with physical contact and that pregnancy will be safe with the use of a temporary device. For a few days, the owner’s advice about physical contact with customers kept echoing in her mind. She said the suggestion of having physical contact with a customer and receiving five hundred rupees while the operator would keep the rest of the money seemed acceptable to her.

She cries when she thinks about her old grandparents. She struggles with the fact that she is burdened with financial responsibilities which makes her think that she has sold her body. She told AHTB that she decided to follow the advice of the owner and start having sexual activities from 30/31 July. Gradually she had to have physical contact with five to six clients daily. She started earning more money from physical contact than her monthly salary per day. She got used to eating and drinking with them, after which she would go to the boarding house, depending on the client’s wishes, to have physical relations.

She said that Rajiv handled all the financial transactions with the customers. She said, “Rajib spoke to all the customers for physical contact. The entire management of the restaurant was handled by Sharmila Katwal. They called customers who were interested in physical contact and sent one of us to the room with them.”

She also said that there were two other young women like her. She said, “Rajib also had to lure them. Rajiv had told us that they had received half of their payment and that they would pay the rest later. However, we did not get any extra money except Rs 500.”

In September, a police team from the AHTB rescued three girls, including her, through an informant (person) who was used by Rajib as a sex worker.

The victim has filed a complaint with the AHTB alleging that she was forced into prostitution, which is a form of human trafficking. She has filed a complaint with the ATBH claiming that the owner Rajib, who lured her into prostitution, should be punished and she should be awarded compensation under the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act 2064.

Nepal has passed laws to control child sexual abuse. The Constitution of Nepal contains a provision that states: “No child shall be subjected to physical, mental or any other form of torture in the home, school or any other place or situation.”

Preventing girls from going to school and forcing them into child marriage exposes them to violence. To escape this violence, many rural girls leave their homes.

According to Gautam Mishra, Superintendent of Police (SP) of AHTB, girls are often forced into sexual activities due to family conflicts, domestic violence and poor economic conditions. He added that sexual exploitation is now also taking place through online platforms.

According to him, there are many girls who are pressured to share intimate photos, audios and videos online. Those who pressure or force them to send such intimate media are boyfriends, girlfriends, close friends and in some cases even strangers.