Abuse Case Spotlights Child Labor and Trafficking in India

A recent case involving an abused 13-year-old household maid is sparking indignation about child labor in India.

The girl was locked in an apartment while the family whose house she kept was on vacation, and she was rescued after neighbors heard her calls for help.  Though India has laws to protect children from abuse, children’s economic and social status often factor into how their employers treat them.

According to the New York Times, India has the most child laborers in the world, and most come from the poorest communities – either their families sell them for work, they are placed in questionable employment agencies or they are kidnapped.  The rise of the middle class has increased the number of families wanting domestic workers, who are frequently young.

For more information, read the full article on the New York Times.