My name is Champa I stay on G.B road, I came here when I was eight years old. I was a good student and the topper in school. I used to stay in the small village of Lucknow, being the only daughter, I was adored and loved by everyone. We were poor, but my parents loved me with the limited resources they had. But God was unkind to me, they met with an accident and I become an orphan. I had no other option, but to go to my uncle’s place to stay. My uncle liked me, but my aunty was not kind, but I tried to adjust as I had nowhere to go. After a few days, my uncle said, he has admitted me to a school in Delhi. It has hostel facilities, so I can stay and study there. I was very excited, as I always wished to be an IAS officer. I was skeptical while going to Delhi, but for the first time, my aunty convinced me it is safe. After a week I started my journey and reached Delhi.

The city looked strange; it has many tall buildings with many vehicles. I saw many girls with short dresses and good-looking men. We stayed in a hotel for a night, and the next morning we traveled to some shops. My uncle brought me a few new dresses, I was very excited. It was very different compared to the quiet environment in which I stayed. I was excited as well as nervous about my new journey. The next day I was brought into a house, where I saw my girls strangely dressed. I saw very few young girls there, so was a bit confused. But I was informed Bimala Masi is the warden of the hostel, and girls of all age group study there. I was a bit shocked but was excited about my new journey. The next morning, they taught me how to sing and dance. They never discussed about books; I asked many times but only heard will get books once I master the art of dancing. I was always the winner so slowly became a very good dancer.

Years started passing and now I am fifteen years old, I have become one of the best dancers in the place. Bimala masi loves me, one day I was asked by her to visit somebody’s house. I was excited to go out of the place, but some people advise me not to do so. I was taken to Mr. Ram’s home, Masi said he is a good man. He wants me to perform on his birthday, so Masi took me to his house. I was happy for the first time I traveled in a car. I could see the beautiful city, when I reached Mr. Ram’s house, it was a mansion. I started exploring and nobody stopped me from doing the same. After some time, I ate good food when I drank the water that Masi gave me I felt sleepy. Masi advised me to go to a room and rest. I was apprehensive about my performance, but she said she will take care. It was the middle of the night a man entered my room. I got worried, as he was not worrying much about clothes. He came close to me and forced himself on me. I shouted but no resort. I was also not in my full sense, so was not capable to retaliate. The next morning, I reached Kota, and I felt sad and broken. I explained the full incident to Masi. She smiled in the form of mockery and explained to me that I have been sold by my uncle to him. I am in the flesh trade profession now, and from today my job is to satisfy customers, sexual needs.

I was shocked and was stayed confined in my room for a few days. But then, I was forced to join the trade. I was not willing to do it, but I did not have any option. I had to attend to a minimum of ten customers on daily basis. The job was tiring but no leaves were allowed. I must serve customers on weekends and even during periods. Some men used to burn my skin in the name of fun, with cigarettes I had to withstand the same for the sake of money. Some men even hurt my internal organs, and we tolerated everything silently. Slowly I accepted the profession, and came to be known as “Champa the Madoka”. We had nobody to protect us, the police exploit us and ask for money. The law and order are for citizens but we are out of law and order.

Time made me a prostitute, but it also brought many questions to my mind. We do not have the basic facilities in life, like being admitted to a hospital. We cannot go to visit the temple, as people will judge us. We can never go to public places, as we are always treated with different behavior. A doctor gets paid for serving mankind, but we are separated from society for the same. A boy coming to the brothel can go back to his home, but a girl staying here can never get married. Society is very strange; we can respect engineer bankers but not a sex worker.

The irony is many situations the girls never choose the profession by choice, they were forced into the same. All girls have some unique story of being forced into the profession. But somehow, they are serving society. They are reducing the crime rates, and the number of rapes is less because men can go to them. But we never appreciate this gesture, of the sex worker. We do not include them as a part of society nor consider them equal. In 2019, the number of human trafficking cases per million population in India was 1.69. It was a decrease compared to the values recorded a year before. Human trafficking is the third most profitable business in the world, as per sources. If we go by statistics maximum of girls are brought into the trade by trafficking. As a society, we need to change our perspective, and we need to respect the Champas. Once we create an inclusive society, we will be able to create a better future for the next generations.

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