Freedom Firm Real Time Updates

8 December 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

Encouraging Raid and Arrest

One Tuesday the 6th of December our investigators located a young girl who was in commercial sexual exploitation in Nagpur. The police accepted the information and planned a raid at 4pm that day with our team.

Two police vehicles were dispached. When our Regional Director and social worker arrived to the scene in the second vehicle, the raid had already taken place! The police team made an arrest, and rescued the minor girl who was targeted, as well as one girl who is borderline minor, and one major.

Our team was very encouraged by the police response and efficiency. The team now is following up on her case to ensure conviction for the one responsible for this crime. Thank you for your support and prayers to see progress in the fight against child sex trafficking.

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"Horse and Rider" film featuring Freedom Firm

Ben Stamper just recently returned to the US after two additional weeks of filming in Ooty, Pune, West Bengal, Mumbai for the film featuring Freedom Firm. His trip was highly successful, you can read about his adventures and see a trailer for the film on the film's website: www.horseandriderfilm.com

30 August 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

Successful Raid!

On Friday, 26 August 2011 Freedom Firm conducted a raid with the SS Branch of the Nagpur City Police and rescued one minor girl, and the brothel keeper was also arrested.

Please click this link to see the Times of India Article reporting on the raid

Please click this link to read Ben Stamper's Account of the raid. Ben Stamper is currently filming the new Freedom Firm film "Horse and Rider" on location in India.

29 July 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

Freedom Firm in the Press!

Check out this link to a Times of India Article that highlights the raid on 20 July 2011.

Freedom Firm is not mentioned in the article as assisting the police with the raids, but the raids were initiated by Freedom Firm.

The mentioned raid last January saw the rescue of five women, the arrest of a brothel keeper Chandbi Sayyed, and the closure of the brothel. However, Sayyed was released on bail and began operating a brothel right next door! Our investigators discovered another minor girl on the 20th of July in that brothel, and the police moved quickly to rescue them and to arrest the same brothel keeper for the same crime. In that raid the minor girl was rescued along with two forced majors.

This article highlights the small victory that a brothel keeper who was released on bail will not get away with commiting the same crime! The article also mentions how many brothels are starting to be shut down for forcing minors in the trade. We are beginning to see the fruit of our work with the police to rescue minors.

The message in Pune is increasingly clear: minor girls are not for sale.

21 July 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

Successful Raid

Freedom Firm conducted a raid with the police in Pune on Wednesday, 20 July 2011. Three girls were rescued, one was minor and two were forced majors. The brothel keeper was arrested and a case was filed. The police were very supportive. Everything went very smoothly, thank you for all of your prayers and support!

Continue praying for the healing of these girls, and for the conviction of the brothel keeper. Every small victory transforms lives and helps prevent this practice from continuing.

1 July 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

My First Raid

Freedom Firm conducted a raid with the police in Nagpur last Friday 24 June 2011 and 8 girls were rescued. Our Associate Director of Advancement and Communications participated in the raid. Click here to read his I Witness account. There is some video footage taken of the raid below.

Freedom Firm Raid from Freedom Firm on Vimeo.

31 May 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

A Dramatic Rescue!

Yesterday Freedom Firm along with the police rescued 5 victims and the police arrested 2 accused in a rescue operation conducted in the evening from the red-light area of Pune.

The investigations team had identified two victims in different locations of Pune red-light area. Out of these two victims one victim was confirmed to be a minor. Therefore intervention was planned targeting the brothel of the confirmed minor victim on 30th May.

The interventions team called the Deputy Commissioner of Police but he was busy. However, he directed the team to his subordinate the ACP. The interventions team met the ACP at 6:30 p.m. and he assured of full cooperation. In an hour’s time he got the team ready and as per the directions of the FF interventions team the police and the interventions team moved towards the targeted brothel.

The Police and FF interventions team entered the targeted brothel and with the help of investigations team member retrieved the target victim; along with this victim two other suspected minors and two suspected forced majors were rescued. The brothel was searched thoroughly during the rescue operation. The police also arrested two ladies as suspected brothel keepers. Later, the victims and the accused were brought to the police station.

After the rescue, initially the girls were strong headed and confused, but the FF social workers counseled the girls and 3 out of 5 responded positively and gave proper statements to the police. The police documentation went on till late in the night and the interventions team stayed in the police station with the girls till then. After the police documentation work the girls were shifted to shelter home. They are safe and recovering.

26 May 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

Progress!

We got age proof that one of the girls rescued 13 May is a minor. We are working with our local advocate, the Deputy Police Commissioner, and the police legal counsel to change the FIR (First Information Report) to accurately reflect her status as a victim of trafficking. It would be great to have prayer over the next 10 days for our advocate as she works on this!

17 May 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

Complication Follows Rescue

On Friday 13 May the Interventions team met with police in a city in Maharashtra, and the police conducted the raid that evening. Four girls were rescued!

After the rescue, however, things suddenly got complicated.

Three out of the four girls had been rescued before by Freedom Firm last year, but were released a few weeks ago by the court when their local guardians submitted documents showing that they were majors. In only a matter of a few short weeks, these girls were already back in prostitution.

Based on the documents that were produced in court, the police concluded that the four girls were majors and filed an FIR treating them as accused and not victims. The next day, a Freedom Firm advocate argued in court that the girls are victims and not perpetrators and must not be released (for their own protection), but the judge released the girls on bail, which makes them vulnerable to be put back into prostitution again.

The Freedom Firm staff is sure that out of the four girls rescued, three were definitely minors. Freedom Firm staff believes that the documents may not be accurate. This week the Interventions team is planning to meet with the Deputy Commissioner of Police to follow up this case.

Please pray that the truth will be revealed and upheld, that the four girls will be rescued and protected, and that justice will be done this week as Freedom Firm staff work hard to stand on behalf of these girls.

13 May 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

A Frustrating Delay

The Pune Investigation Team has been searching for minor girls in prostitution in a large city in Maharashtra all this week. They have identified at least two minor girls between the ages of 13-15, Roshan and Meera*, but the police were not available to conduct the raid yesterday.

Please pray as the team meets with the police today that a successful raid can take place in the next few hours. We hope that Roshan and Meera can be rescued, begin their journey to restoration, and that justice will be done.

*Names changed

27 Apr 2011

jayson@freedom.firm.in (Jayson Palm) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:46:31 +0000

A Heartbreaking Rescue

Last week the Freedom Firm team attempted to rescue a minor girl in the red light area of Sangli (click for Google map). The team had reason to believe that she had developmental disabilities. The police were unable to help at that time, so the team had to return to Pune with only the hopes that they would rescue her the following week. Knowing the incredible obstacles this young girl was living under, the team desperately wanted to see her rescued.

Yesterday the interventions team returned to the Sangli red light area to enlist the support of the police and rescue Salila*. The team was told to wait an agonizing four hours. At 6:00 p.m. the police were ready to go and very quickly the girl was located and rescued! A large group of people immediately assembled outside the police station to demand that Salila be released on account that they had proof that she was a major. The Freedom Firm team pleaded with the senior official not to release the girl, both because she was very obviously a minor and because of her disabilities.

Thankfully, the girl was put into a government home and is safe for now. A doctor will do an age verification within the next day. If she is determined to be a minor, she will remain in the government home and the brothel keeper will remain under arrest.

This case is unique and critical on a number of fronts. First, it is heartbreaking that Salila, with her developmental disabilities, was ever abused in the brothels. Pray that she will remain safe and will receive the unique care and attention that she needs. Second, this case is important for future Freedom Firm work in the city of Sangli. We consider this a strategic city to have success and we have been looking for inroads over the past year. Third, the brothel keeper was apprehended during the raid, but there is no way of knowing how long the police will keep her in custody. Pray that she will be kept for weeks, and possibly even months.

*Not her real name