"Trafficking" in person broadly, means:

[1]	The recruitment, transportation, purchase, sale, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by threat or use of violence, abduction, force, fraud, deception or coercion (including the abuse of authority), or debt bondage for the purpose of:
[2]	Placing or holding such person, whether for pay or not, in forced labour or slavery like practices, in a community other than one in which such persons lived at the time of the original act described in (1).

Trafficking of children and women for various purposes including sexual exploitation is undoubtedly one of the most reprehensible and heinous crimes perpetrated against humanity. Because of a variety of reasons including non-reporting and secrecy there is no clear estimate about the magnitude of the problem yet. By all account in recent years the problem has only worsened. Trafficking has emerged as a low risk high return well organised criminal activity. Hence combating this menace is going to be a tough job for everyone concerned.

What is very disturbing is that the available evidence indicates that one third of people exploited in flesh trade are children/minors. Besides, over 60% of victims belong to the Backward Classes including scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Most of them hail from poverty struck areas and are illiterates.

The issues of trafficking and the Commercial Sexual exploitation of Women and Children have taken the Centre Stage in the present time because of the following reasons:

(i)	Increasing inter-state and inter-national trafficking of women       and children.
(ii)	Increasing reports of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
(iii)	Greater awareness and emphasis on rights of children.
(iv)	The global movement for redefining gender relation and the             issues of subordination of female gender in Indian Society.
(v)	Trafficking and sexual exploitation of women /children is directly      related to the overall status of women in the society.
(vi)	Growing feminisation of poverty.
(vii)	Growth of sex tourism, the entertainment industry, pornography in   print, electronic and cyber media.
(viii)	Changing public attitudes towards sex and morality.
(ix)	The economic and law and order ramifications of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, which are part of the huge global     Narco-terrorist criminal, network.
(x)	Women victims of commercial sexual exploitation organising             themselves to access their rights, and
(xi)	Weakening of the family structure, changing social and family          scenario.

STATE INITIATIVES AND THE PRESENT SCENARIO

The Government of Tamil Nadu has taken several steps to fight this menace.

[1]	A high level Co-ordination Committee under the Chairperson of the Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu has been constituted.
[2]	A State Level Action plan drafted on the line of discussion held under the Chairperson of the Chief Secretary to Government for the prevention of trafficking of women and children and combating their commercial sexual exploitation has been approved by Government.
[3]	District Advisory Committee under the Chairperson of the District Collectors have been constituted to work out intervention strategies for the prevention of trafficking and combating commercial sexual exploitation of women and children.
[4]	Formation of Village Level Watch dog Committees have been ordered by Government and except in 100 village Panchayats, the village level watchdog committees have been formed in all the villages. A sub committee under the Hon’ble Minister for Social welfare has been constituted by the Government for supervising the District Level Advisory Committee, Village Level Watch Dog committee, etc.,. and also to form guidelines for those committee.
[5]	The Commissioner of Social Defence has been designated as Nodal Officer for over all inter and intra departmental co-ordination and net working.
[6]	Additional Director General of Police CBCID, Chennai   has been designated  as the Nodal Officer by the Police Department to take all necessary action to combat trafficking etc.,
[7]	The Government of Tamil Nadu has taken initiatives to ban sex determination, which lead to female foeticide. The State Government has regulated the functioning of scanning Centres.
[8]	Women Help lines with toll free number 1091 have been started in Women Police Stations of the State to help the women in times of crisis etc.,
[9]	The problems of the children of Commercial Sex Workers have been addressed adequately. However, special emphasis will be made to admit such children in Child care institutions established under the provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 to prevent their exploitation and to ensure their growth and development.

Any person having information on the trafficking of women and children or about sensitive areas/places that the are prone to trafficking for child labour, Bonded labour, illegal adoption, slavery like practices, employment in the far off place etc can share the information either with the District Level Advisory Committees or with the Commissioner of Social Defence or with  Additional Director General of Police.