Hyderabad: Human trafficking networks target women, children, and lonely individuals from poor families and low-education groups, said Telangana Media Academy chairman K. Srinivas Reddy. He spoke on Tuesday at a workshop on Human Trafficking and Bonded Labour at the Media Academy auditorium in Nampally. The Telangana Media Academy and International Justice Mission jointly organised the event.
Reddy said traffickers exploit vulnerable groups by pushing them into bonded labour. He stressed that more than half of the victims remain trapped in forced work. Many of them toil in brick kilns, construction sites, high-rise projects, textile units, farms, and stone quarries. They often work for more than 12 hours each day.
Telangana Media Academy flags human trafficking, bonded labour
He further urged journalists to report such cases and raise awareness. According to him, traffickers lure workers with promises of high wages. However, they trap them in debt through exploitative loans. Employers then treat workers as objects, brand them as inferior, and erase their dignity.
Reddy also pointed out that some families remain in bondage for decades. After a worker dies, debts pass on to children, siblings, and parents. Moreover, many Indian migrants seeking jobs in domestic work and construction fall victim to trafficking abroad.
International Justice Mission representatives added that their teams collect evidence, rescue survivors, and support police in arresting traffickers. They also ensure that victims receive justice. Telangana Media Academy secretary Nagulapalli Venkateswara Rao, head of media communications Priya Abraham, and others attended the workshop.
