Poverty is one of the main provocations towards human trafficking. In the book entitled Sold by Patricia McCormick, a young girl named Lakshmi is unintentionally sold to a brothel in India, where she would fall into the trap of prostitution. Before she leaves, her mother says to her, “you will make us proud… as the first member of the family to leave the mountain.” (pg.51). Lakshmi and her family of four are dirt poor. Her stepdad, who cannot work due to having only one functioning arm, agrees to sell her off to a wealthy family in India so that she can make an income as a maid. The Sudanese phrase, “use a slave to catch slaves”, is often said by human traffickers who send “broken-in girls” to recruit younger girls into the sex trade. Oftentimes, sex traffickers train their own girls themselves by raping them and teaching them sexual acts. Lakshmi learns that she has been sold for the purpose of sleeping with men, when she exclaims, “but Auntie Bimla said-” “Your ‘auntie,’ “she scoffs, “works for me.” (pg.107). She met Bimla at the festival of lights and caught Lakshmi’s attention when she mentioned a life full of possibility in India. Bimla tells her that she can be her “Auntie” if her parents let her take off with her. Excited …show more content…
Mumtaz, who keeps most of the money Lakshmi earns, uses such methods in order to break her spirit until she submits to working for her. “Each morning and evening Mumtaz comes, beats me with a leather strap, and locks the door behind her.” (pg.109). In addition to leaving bruises all over Lakshmi and leaving her isolated in a room, she starves her for five days.“Mumtaz appears each day at dusk and forces a cup of lassi between my clenched jaws.” (pg.123). Eventually, she resorts to giving Lakshmi drugs which keep her in a vegetative state so that customers can do what they want to