Toward evidence-based anti-human trafficking policy: a rapid review of CSE rehabilitation and evaluation of Indian legislation

ABSTRACT

This paper (a) examines the evidence base around rehabilitation of victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), (b) identifies the extent that India’s proposed 2016 Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation) Bill reflects scientific and experiential evidence, and (c) discusses how gaps in the proposed bill can be informed by evidence. A rapid review of empirical studies on policies and interventions addressing rehabilitation of CSE victims was conducted. Although evidence is lacking, research suggests that cross-sectoral collaboration, training and monitoring law enforcement, psychotherapeutic interventions and care provided by short-term shelters, reintegration, and recognizing victims’ rights improve the success of rehabilitative efforts. The proposed legislation does not sufficiently reflect evidence around successful rehabilitation efforts and suggests that implementing the bill as it currently stands would change little of the existing structures to support victims in receiving adequate services or successfully reintegrating into society.

KEYWORDS:

• Commercial sexual exploitation
• Indiac
• rehabilitation
• trafficking in persons

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge and thank Franziska Meinck, academic supervisor at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, for overseeing the development of this paper.