'Sensitisation of police needed to deal with trafficking'

Former IPS officer Meeran Borwankar today said training and sensitisation of police personnel is important for dealing with the menace of trafficking effectively.
Borwankar, former Pune police commissioner, was speaking at a panel discussion on 'Trafficking and Vulnerability' at the ongoing 'Difficult Dialogues' conference here.
Filling up vacancies in the criminal justice system is also important, she noted.
"Number of police, prosecutors is needed (to be increased) to improve the conviction rate. Vacancies in the judiciary need to be filled. Women constitute 11 per cent of the police force in Maharashtra. More women are needed in the force," she said.

"But sensitisation regarding cases of trafficking is important. It is not that male officers are not sensitive," she added.
Geeta Menon, women's rights activist from Bengaluru, said accountability is necessary for the government agencies dealing with trafficking, if the menace is to be checked.

Transgender activist Laxmi Tripathi said trafficking involves sexual exploitation of not just women but the sexual minorities too.
Tripathi recalled ordeals of the members of her community while dealing with police, and the neglect they face from society.
The 3rd edition of Difficult Dialogues has the question "Gender equality for everyone's benefit?" as its theme.