Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries and the border it shares with India has encouraged a lucrative trade of young girls working in circuses of the neighboring country.Sarwati’s case is typical: when she was eight, she was sold to an Indian circus and became a juggler. When she turned fourteen she was forced to marry, and two years ago, when her husband died, her former husband’s brothers began to physically abuse her. To her aid came a British organization that works to rehabilitate young girls who work in Indian circuses, where hundreds of Nepalese girls live in deplorable conditions after being sold by their parents.
According to the sponsor of the NGO, about 350 girls were rescued between 2004 and 2011 after thirty inspections of circuses in northern India. "The girls are easy targets for traffickers, since in most cases they come from dysfunctional families and impoverished settings," he says. Although there is extensive documentation on the sale of Nepalese girls under ten to brothels, child trafficking to India, where there is a great circus tradition, was unknown. "Light-skinned and scantily clad girls are very exotic in India," says the promoter.
In 2002, the NGO launched a survey which found that girls who were sold to circuses where, on average, eight years old at the time of the transaction. Many of them suffer from physical and psychological violence in an environment where rape is not uncommon. The situation is very different from what the agents promise to the girls’ parents - they convince them to sign illegal contracts that promise a future of fame and prosperity for their daughters, but the first thing the girls ask for when rescued is to be given some food.
The NGO currently houses about 400 girls. Some have been rescued from the streets and others are taught by circus professionals after their "liberation". "It is a magical and very special experience", says the artist who trains them. She adds that she was surprised by the girls’ energy and joy, particularly those who have decided voluntarily to go back to performing, such Sarwati, who says: "Now I do it for fun and I enjoy it".
Source: terra
