Basirhat is a border region near Bangladesh where poverty, migration, social stigma, and limited access to support can leave women and children vulnerable to human trafficking, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and exploitation.
Survivors who return home often face shame, silence, isolation, and community pressure. Some are discouraged from seeking justice or rejected by their families. Others struggle to continue their education, earn a safe income, replace lost identity documents, or access the services they need to rebuild their lives.
For women experiencing domestic violence, leaving an abusive situation can bring further risk. Without income, legal support, family acceptance, or safe pathways forward, many are left with few choices. These barriers can deepen trauma and increase the risk of further exploitation.
Mary Ward International supports Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre as it walks alongside survivors as they rebuild confidence, independence, and leadership, while strengthening their access to justice, education, documentation, services, and safe livelihoods.
Survivors access confidential counselling, mental health support, legal aid, home visits, case intervention, nutrition support, education support, and skills training. They are also supported to connect with government schemes, entitlements, and services.
The project also forms survivor groups and survivor leadership groups, creating safe spaces where women can share experiences, build confidence, understand their rights, and support others who are facing similar challenges. Existing survivor leaders are mentored to guide new participants, contribute to project decision-making, and take active roles in awareness-raising activities.
Community awareness sessions are also held in schools and local communities to help people recognise the warning signs of trafficking, child marriage, abuse, and domestic violence, and know how to refer survivors to appropriate support.
Your donation can help survivors of trafficking and abuse access counselling, legal support, rights awareness, skills training, and peer mentorship.
By supporting this project, you help create safer pathways for women and children to recover, rebuild, and lead change in their communities.
Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible in Australia.
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