Team Herald
PANJIM: An alarmingly high number of women and girls involved in Commercial Sex Activity (CSA) are now residing in Goa. CSA has expanded into non-touristic areas, while Bardez remains the taluka with the highest concentration of sex workers. Ironically, the number of cases booked by Goa Police against sex trafficking, as well as the awareness initiatives to combat CSA, remains
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minuscule.
According to a report by the Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS), Goa is home to 6,425 female sex workers. The data from GSACS on persons engaged in CSA in 2024 indicates that such individuals are spread across Goa.
NGO Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ) revealed that there were approximately 900 to 1,200 sex workers residing in Baina when the area was shut down. Today, a significant number of sex workers are living across the State. Arun Pandey of ARZ stated that the reported figure is substantial and could be much higher in reality. “The maximum number of HIV cases used to be in Mormugao, but now Bardez is the epicentre. The GSACS report vindicates this fact,” he said. Pandey highlighted that the local population is increasingly vulnerable to infection due to the high concentration of CSA, calling for greater concern
for the well-being of
Goa’s residents.
“We need to address the demand. The client is the primary offender, and action must be taken against them. Unless we tackle the demand, we will not succeed in combating sex trafficking,” said Pandey.
He emphasised the need for stringent action against individuals profiting from CSA, such as pimps and those operating online portals facilitating this trade.
On the enforcement of anti-human trafficking laws, Pandey added: “The action shouldn’t be
directionless. If you rescue the girls without addressing the root causes, more will be brought in due to widespread poverty.” The report indicates that 32.69% of victims entered sex work due to financial crises, and 36.54% of women involved in CSA cited financial responsibility for children (education, healthcare, food, and shelter) following separation from a husband or partner as their reason.
Pandey stressed the importance of advertising Goa as not a destination to purchase sex. “We need proactive measures combining enforcement, awareness, and policy changes,”
he said.
The report by ARZ also highlights a sizable number of girls and women from Goa involved in CSA in non-touristic talukas like Bicholim, Sattari, Ponda, and Mormugao. These areas, with higher concentrations of industries and mines, include victims both from outside Goa who have settled in the State and those originally from Goa. While a significant proportion of CSA originates in tourist-centric areas, online and offline solicitation has widened its reach beyond these zones.
The GSACS data shows Tiswadi with 801 sex workers, Bicholim with 667, Mormugao with 865, Salcete with 761, and Sattari with 811 registered under the society.
“Human trafficking is a more complex crime compared to others, as it spans multiple States,” Pandey said. He also called for better coordination with other source states to control sex trafficking effectively.
