Sex trafficking cases have skyrocketed since the pandemic, emphasizing the need for awareness on an international and local scale. Although commonly thought to be an issue of “third-world countries,” sex trafficking occurs on a domestic scale daily. Far too often, scenarios of children and adolescents falling victim to such heinous crimes go unnoticed. Award-winning author, Ruchira Gupta, spoke at the Dodd Center for Human Rights on Tuesday, Nov. 12 to shed light on sex trafficking and measures of prevention.
The event began with a warm welcome to Gupta, as she graciously accepted the 2024 Malka Penn Award — named after the University of Connecticut’s own Michele Palmer who writes under the pseudo name, Malka Penn — for outstanding youth books that address issues surrounding human rights. Gupta’s book, “I Kick and I Fly,” is a young adult novel telling the tale of a teenage girl in India who successfully escapes the sex trade through many trials and tribulations. The 2023 novel, alongside her work in activism, is what granted Gupta the Malka Penn Award.
Gupta took the time to brief the audience on the history of sex trafficking in her homeland of India. Typically, young girls immersed in poverty fall victim to the sex trade in boroughs of Mumbai, known as the “red light districts.” The “red light districts” date back to colonial times where young Indian girls were advertised as being disease-free sexual partners, displayed under red lighting. Gupta witnessed the horrors the girls faced firsthand and knew she must do something more.
Being inspired by books such as “Little Women” in her childhood, it was clear to Gupta that she wanted to become a writer. Following this path, Gupta became a journalist, winning an Emmy in 1997 for her documentary, “The Selling of Innocents” released the previous year. However, rather than taking her success as a means to pursue journalism, Gupta sought after a life of activism, devoted to saving children involved in sex trafficking.
Joined by panel member, Yvette Young — associate vice president of training and advocacy against trafficking at The Village — as well as moderator Elise Delacruz — interim director of the Women’s Center — the group of women began to discuss modern issues contributing to the sex trade. The practice of intersectionality was heavily emphasized by the panel when digesting these issues, as poverty and vulnerability are often the leading attributes of victims, though as pointed out by Young, this is not always the case.
Awareness is the key to fighting back against trafficking in Gupta’s eyes. Writing a children’s book would start conversations that many young people have never had the opportunity to have. “Fiction gets under your skin,” Gupta explained when asked about her method of literature as opposed to a different medium. She further explained that her hope was that children would begin to talk with their peers and would be made aware of the dangers posed to them. Facing an issue that many parents are too frightened or not enough informed to speak about, it is up to the education system to inform children of their rights as people.
“I knew about sex trafficking because my dad works for DCF. Him having the role for a long time on the hotline, he faced many incidents related to sex trafficking and felt it was important for me to know about. That knowledge drew me in to the event today, striving to learn more about the topic,” said Grace Donahue, a first-semester ACES student.
The panel deeply expressed the importance of speaking up. “Fear, shame and guilt imprison us,” but these feelings do not have to. Gupta shares that her idea of “the last girl,” or the girl who falls victim to sex slavery can be any of us, but through education, the chance of this being so declines greatly. Feelings of shame surround victims but opening the conversation through the written word can help erase some of these thoughts as victims will know they are not alone.
Gupta, Young and Delacruz provided powerful insight to a group of people who care about making a difference in their communities. Gupta expressed that “I Kick and I Fly” is only the truth, being a novel constructed by events she witnessed or was told about firsthand. It is this truth that brought a community of people together at the Dodd Center, freshly enlightened to be the reason for change.
Trinity Nguyen, a first-semester psychology major explained, “I think it is important for college students to learn about sex trafficking because of the lack of accessibility to information. The speakers were insightful. I did not know much before this presentation, but now I feel I can make a difference.”
After attending the event, Gupta’s words and the story of the Mumbai girls will ring in the ears of many. It is the constant ringing — the defiant voice — which will ultimately be the reason for progress and change.