Team Herald
PANJIM: Even as Goa Police are cracking down on prostitution rackets, the department has pointed out that certain limitations under the Information Technology Act for shutting websites are creating hurdles.
The problem was highlighted during a meeting of Goa Governor Mridula Sinha with Goa Police, Department of Women & Child Development, Goa University and NGOs working in the field, held at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.
“Action is taken to redress this issue. There are, however, legal impediments particularly limitations under Section 69 (A) of the IT Act for closing down these websites. Nevertheless, Police Department in co-ordination with various government authorities at the Centre as well other States isworking to tackle the issue,” DGP said.
The Governor was also informed that the government is taking various measures to ensure the security of women in the State.
Herald had reported last year that the government, was awaiting a positive response from the IT Ministry, Delhi on blocking URLs, and social media pages and handles that offer escort services. The Goa Police Cyber Crime Cell in 2016 had written to the State IT Department requesting to block over 100 escort services websites frequently used to induce potential victims.
Goa University Registrar Y V Reddy, present at the meeting, said that no incident involving University girl students has been noticed and they are vigilant enough to prevent occurrence of prostitution activity within the campus. He also highlighted the need of a compound wall around the GU complex which is currently being pursued with the government. The DGP also endorsed that no college girls have been identified amongst the girls rescued so far, and all rescued victims are from other states.
The meeting concluded with the remarks of the Governor that online promotion of sex trade is a complex social issue which requires response from all stakeholders such as Law Enforcement Agencies, Social Welfare Department, Women Commission, parents, teachers, voluntary organizations and members of the society.
“All stakeholders should take concerted action to prevent and stop this trade,” she said, further stating that legal mechanism for tackling the issue should be strengthened for which State needs to take up the matter with the Central Government. Apart from that vigilance of the parents and teachers and members of the society and creation of awareness are vital so that the girls don’t fall prey to such ills.
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Women laud governor’s initiative
MARGAO: The Goa Women’s Forum (GWF) a collective of women volunteers of Civic and Consumer Forums has welcomed the decision of the Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to call a high level meeting to discuss the issue of escort service websites promoting sex tourism in Goa by using college girls and is confident that an effective action plan will emerge as an outcome of this meeting.
The governor convened a high level meeting of the chief secretary, director general of police, vice chancellor and registrar of Goa University, secretary information technology, director of women and child development and Arun Pandey of ARZ (Anyay Rahit Zindagi) amongst others at Raj Bhavan, on Wednesday.
It may be recalled that GWF had written to the governor seeking her intervention over the inaction of the Goa government agencies against the escort service websites promoting Sex Tourism in Goa.
GWF had also appealed to the governor to take a bold decision and make the Goa government to do all that is required in law to shut down these escort service websites which are openly promoting sex tourism in Goa by portraying Goa University & college girl students as call girls.
