Children forced into sex trade primarily in India continued from p.4 Singh said there are more than two million children in the sex trade (forced against their will) and more than half of those (1.2 million) are in India, ranging in age from seven to 19. Both children and adults are sold for negotiated prices. The Mahima home can care for a maximum of 25 girls at a time and 57 have gone through it, since April 2010. The India native admitted 57 girls doesn't seem like a large number in what she described as "this huge issue of human trafficking," but reminded students it only took one stone to bring down Goliath. A problem for authorities, said Singh, is the girls who are rescued don't want to go to court and testify -- and without it there is no conviction. However, when the youths come through the home, they become empowered and they want to see justice. "They actually stand up in courtrooms where they don't know anybody there. We are not allowed to be with them. It's not childfriendly. It's a whole court filled with men who are hostile towards them. They have to stand and point out their perpetrators and actually go over everything that happened to them," Singh said. "Because they do that, we get convictions of 10 years, which is the maximum imprison- 9 | Friday, April 26, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com They actually stand up in courtrooms where they don't know anybody there. We are not allowed to be with them. It's not child-friendly. It's a whole court filled with men who are hostile towards them. They have to stand and point out their perpetrators and actually go over everything that happened to them. Mahima Care Home, director/clinical psychologist Smita Singh ment somebody can get for human trafficking." This past March, Singh said, five individuals were put behind bars because victims spoke up against them. Singh admitted that the courts in India appear to have become more pro-conviction since the recent bus rape tragedy in that country. Singh said her staff members need God to be able to do what they do. "You can have the best social work degrees or psychology degrees, but if you don't feel that God is calling you to do this, it's going to be a really tough place to be in because these girls come from such situations of trauma that sometimes it can be unimaginable to think one can go through so many bad things," she said. Because Kolkata is close to the borders of Bangladesh and Nepal, there are many brothels in the city, said Mahima's director. But the demand doesn't come from tourists. Instead, the demand comes from Indian men and the girls are taken from the neighbouring countries. "That child will spend the rest of her life -- if she is not rescued -- in a horrible situation, not finding her way out of there," Singh told Oakville students. The Mahima home works with the governments of Nepal and Bangladesh and the rescued girls end up returning to their countries of origin. Some of the rescued girls return to their homes. Police are also asked to check in on them. Furthermore, Singh said, five girls who have gone through the Mahima home have married. But, the girls face huge stigma in India, something the Mahima home tries to help them overcome. "The community doesn't want to take them back. They feel they're spoilt. They have no value. They have no worth. So just to give them that childhood back and to help them to feel value and worth again, that is what Mahima is all about," Singh said. For more information, visit www. partnersinternational.ca/mahimacarehome. Protect your family. Prepare for their future. We can help with both. Stop by for your free State Farm Insurance and Financial Review®. Get to a better StateTM. Get State Farm®. CONTACT A STATE FARM AGENT TODAY. 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