*Namrota's story. A first-person narrative.
In 2010, I fought with my family and left home. I went to the railway station and waited for the train to come. I hoped that I could find a job and take care of myself. I noticed three men looking at me for a long time. They approached me and spoke to me nicely. I confessed to them that I had a fight at home and needed a job. They told me they would give me work and offered me juice. After drinking it, I began to feel drowsy and could not speak. They took me to the Howrah station, where we got on a train. I slept for two days and have no recollection of what happened during the journey. When I came to my senses, I was in a room. I asked the girls around me where I was and they told me that those men sold me to a brothel. They told me that I had to serve customers for several years and then I would be allowed to go home. I cried a lot and refused to do the work. The brothel owner beat me black and blue and finally forced me to have sex with customers.
After a time, a man came to my room and I told him that I wanted to go home. I asked him to help me. He went away and returned with the police. Unfortunately, the brothel owner found out and beat me savagely. She then transferred me to another brothel so the police could not find me. One day, I was crying and I found out that a raid was happening. The brothel owner locked me in a room, but the police found out where I was and came in with some women. They broke down the door and rescued me from my pitiful condition. I am happy that I am free now.
*name changed to protect identity
Note: Namrota recently graduated from Higher Secondary School. She hopes to be a Police officer one day.