Mithali & Upendra – Operation Red Alert | A united voice to end large scale sex-trafficking in India by 2025.

Mithali & Upendra

15-year-old Mithali was trafficked by a young man she met in college. It wasn’t until her brother Upendra attended a Safe Village Program that her family was able to organize her rescue.

15-year-old Mithali was returning from her usual computer class in southern West Bengal when a fellow student introduced himself to her. He was at least 7 years older, but he gave her a lot of attention. They quickly became friends, and eventually she was seeing him after class every day.

One day, he offered her a sweet lassi (yoghurt drink), and the next thing she remembers was waking up in Delhi over a thousand kilometers away from home. Her “friend” had laced her drink with a sedative. She doesn’t know how she got there, but when she regained consciousness, she was locked up in a room in a place she had never seen before. She soon discovered that her boyfriend had sold her to a brothel.

A few days after she went missing, Operation Red Alert’s Implementing Partner, BBSS, conducted a Safe Village Program (SVP) in Mithali’s village. Upendra, Mithali’s brother, was at the program. Distressed about Mithali being missing, he took the opportunity to report her case to the BBSS team. Though Upendra and his family had reported Mithali’s missing to the police, they hadn’t received any help.

BBSS was able to mobilize the police to conduct an investigation. Eventually, they found her in Delhi. She was immediately rescued and moved to a safe home in Delhi, then sent home to West Bengal to be with her family. She was gone for about 3 months, but her family says that it felt like an eternity. There was no joy at home while she was missing.

Now, Mithali is back in school, and joy has returned to her family. She is in 11th grade, doing well, and dreaming of what she will achieve after her schooling. Her family, especially her big brother, are proud of their courageous girl who exudes happiness and confidence.

**A note on men and boys: Operation Red Alert firmly believes that men and boys have at least 50% part in the solution to ending trafficking – in some cases, even more. Fathers make decisions for their daughter’s futures, brothers look out for the safety of their sisters, and men are often responsible for the governing of a village. Men and boys are much needed allies in the effort to put an end to sex trafficking. Together, we can create a respectful and safe society for women and girls.

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