There are an estimated three million prostituted children currently in India. Every single day 200 women and girls in India enter prostitution. 80% of them do so against their will and are victims of trafficking.
Yoga Stops Traffick 10 March 2012
On 10 March yoga students around the world take a stand against human trafficking.
Yoga Stops Traffick was born in Mysore, the home of the Odanadi Seva Trust. Odanadi has been working for the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked women and children for 20 years.
Mysore is also the home of Ashtanga Yoga and the Sri K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. Ashtanga Yoga has been and continues to be a part of the rehabilitation programme for the young people in Odanadi and it has had a huge impact in their lives. According to Yoga Stops Traffick organizers Ashtanga Yoga has allowed Odanadi residents “to reclaim their bodies: build physical and mental strength, and restore a sense of peace, confidence and self-worth”.
Odanadi runs two residential rehabilitation centres in Mysore and houses up to 85 women and young people at any one time. Odanadi residents are offered a range of therapeutic activities including psychological counseling, art therapy, yoga, acupuncture and drama. Many residents were rescued from brothel owners and sex traffickers. Some come from abusive homes, child marriages and domestic and commercial servitude. Odanadi has over the last 20 years carried out 60 brothel raids, rescued and rehabilitated over 2000 children and brought 137 traffickers to justice.
What Happens on the 10th of March?
The main Yoga Stops Traffick event is in Mysore. Yoga practitioners will join 90 Odanadi residents in front of the Mysore Palace for 108 sun salutations (108 is a sacred number in many belief systems including Hinduism and Buddhism) to raise awareness about human trafficking and to show support to its victims. As well as the main event in Mysore there will be international events in 98 locations in 25 countries. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Odanadi.
Check out the Yoga Stops Traffick site for information about an event near you or the Odanadi website for more information about the Odanadi’s work against human trafficking.
