Colloquium: January 25, 2008
Dr. Sunitha Krishnan
Gen. Secretary, Prajwala
Fighting for Innocence – The Bane of Child Trafficking
She stands barely taller than the children in her school, but to them Dr. Sunitha Krishnan is a towering figure, big sister, mother, and school principal rolled into one.
We at Amrita School of Business were indeed honoured to have such a soaring personality amongst us to deliver a talk on the reality that stares us in the face every day but is probably the most hushed and least spoken about. She spoke to us on rape, on children and young women and the social stigma that befalls the victims of the violence. It definitely was an eye opener for many of us - the cruel and brutal treatments that children and young women are inflicted upon with.
Each one of us considered ourselves to be broad minded and accommodative of such victims in normal walks of our lives. We blamed the society for its unfair treatment of the traumatised victims, without realising that we formed the society and we were hypocrites. Although we are willing to talk about sexual exploitation in public to show that we are concerned about it, we do nothing whatsoever to prevent or support the cause. The least we can do is spread the awareness of how women and young children are deprived of a life of dignity and self respect.
Dr. Sunitha also threw light on the fact that the rapists are not bothered what the victims look like or how old they are. She said the youngest victims were barely a few days old. And such things are so smoothly quietened in the society. When Dr. Sunitha tried to bring about a change in the law asking for arrest of “customers” soliciting sex, there were uproars and protests. People questioned why customers should be punished as it is their only solace from the world of work and family! I could not believe that people can actually stoop to levels like these- the only solace! - At the costs of somebody else’s life and dignity?
Dr Krishnan said that the anger that sprouts out of the normalization and desensitization that has happened around her propels her to work harder towards the cause. She said there is so much internalization of the pain. And the thundering silence of it all enrages her. Which is why she started an organization called Prajwala (Eternal flame).
Prajwala is the transitional home for those who seek freedom from the clutches of prostitution. Sadly, in many cases, the disease of prostitution is so deeply embedded that the victims have to be coaxed to accept freedom and normal lives. Prajwala has been doing tremendous work in controlling the stigma in the State of Andhra Pradesh. She has successfully garnered the help and support of the Police in the State. Dr. Sunitha has been one of the prominent activists for this social cause and has been the reason for the smiles on the faces of so many children and young women.
We are a much informed and aware society now at ASB and I am sure such a personality as Dr Sunitha leaves a spark everywhere she goes, only just waiting for the spark to grow into an eternal flame, Prajwala, ASB being no exception.
K. Cauvery I MBA
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