Human Traffickers Target Nepal Earthquake Survivors under Guise of Rescue Effort

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: May 05, 2015

Human Traffickers Target Nepal Earthquake Survivors under Guise of Rescue Effort

Young women in Nepal are facing an increased human trafficking risk in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. The Guardian reports that human traffickers are posing as relief workers and attempting to lure the women into “jobs” at brothels. 

According to the UN and local NGOs, between 12,000 and 15,000 girls are trafficked in Nepal each year. A crisis like the earthquake increases the risk of trafficking. 

Sunita Danuwar, director of a NGO in Kathmandu said, “This is the time when the brokers go in the name of relief to kidnap or lure women. We are distributing assistance to make people aware that someone might come to lure them. We are getting reports of [individuals] pretending to go for rescuing and looking at people.”

The Guardian spoke to a Nepali trafficking victim who escaped after police raided the brothel where she was forced to have sex with 20 to 30 men a day. 

The 20-year-old woman said, “I am worried now for the other girls who might be taken away. They will need the money and be tempted if someone talks to them about a job. Then the same thing will happen to them as happened to me.” 

To help with earthquake relief efforts, follow this link.

Publication date: May 5, 2015



Human Traffickers Target Nepal Earthquake Survivors under Guise of Rescue Effort