Sold.

I have never read a story quite like this before. I have learned about human trafficking in many of my sociology or criminology courses but I have never heard a story in a young girls perspective. This had really stunned me and I did not know how the brothels had worked from the inside. I could not grasp the concept of how families let their children do this. Families are there for support, love and care but this does not seem to be the case in these types of areas.

I was astounded just by the living conditions in their hometown and how they lived from a day-to-day basis. The father would not work and go gamble during the day while Ama and Lakshmi would do the house hold chores, work in the gardens and the fields, all the while taking care of their animals and the baby. It shocked me that the father had nothing to do with the family at all, so it seemed, and came home empty handed. He did not try for his family and it showed drastically. Especially when he was to win money he came home with new clothes or a motorcycle. This family seemed they were struggling for other materials but he did not seem to care about this. It was clear the women were more concerned and well rounded than the husband/dad.

However, later, it was more shocking to me when Ama and the step dad decided to tell Lakshmi she had to go into the city to be a “maid”, when in fact this was not the case at all. I wondered through out the story if Ama and the step dad knew where she was going and what was going to happen to her. Until I read the Author’s Note in the back of the reading and it does say that nearly 12,000 girls are sold by their families intentionally. I realized how bad human trafficking could be but seeing the statistics is surprising and extremely scary. I could not believe families actually did this with their young girls, especially at the ages twelve or thirteen. Meeting Lakshmi’s friends in the brothel was very interesting too. Monica’s story stuck out to me so well because I could not believe what the family had done. She tires to return home because she has paid off her debt but the family does not want her back and says she is a disgrace to them. I couldn’t believe after all of what Monica, and even the rest of the girls had gone through, that the family would not want her back. She provided them with so much I would think that she should and would be honored.

Also, something else I have previously learned in classes was about the trust issues between American police officers, or those who come help, and the girls in the brothels. I was glad they touched on this because it gives the true perspective of what the girls believe of these men and what they are told about these men. It is a shame they do not know the truth and security behind these police officers. Even Lakshmi was very worried at her first encounter with the white man that came into her room asking a bunch of questions. But she then realized the true purpose behind them once the second man came and showed pictures of what he could give her. I thought this was a powerful message. It is sad to know that these situations happen on a regular basis around the world and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I wish we could give the girls the knowledge to know that police officers are there to help and what is being done to them is not acceptable. 

This story really grasps the reader’s attention and it was fascinating to have actually learned a little bit more about human trafficking. It is awfully sad but it is not all the time you hear a story from a young girls perspective and this is what really made it stand out to me.