The recent death of a student who was gang-raped on a Delhi bus has caused massive public outcry against the treatment of women in Indian society. We too were cut to the heart upon learning about this saddening news. How could some men be capable of such evil and barbaric acts? What can we do to stop this cycle of abuse in India?

Gender inequality in India is not an unfamiliar topic to us. In 2010, Violin travelled to the villages in West Bengal and learned about a village infamous for selling daughters to human traffickers. Of course, the parents were not aware that they were human traffickers. They disguised themselves in different ways, usually promising their daughters education or job opportunities unavailable in the villages or arranging them into marriages to wealthy men. They failed to see that by accepting the offer, it was an admission to some of the cruelest and most inhuman treatments their daughters would experience for the rest of their lives. They would be sold into forced prostitution or domestic slavery. In almost all cases, the parents would never be able to see their daughters again.

According to official data, hundreds of children became missing every day in India. The state of West Bengal is hit the hardest, which contributed to approximately one third of all missing children. They are especially vulnerable due to their great poverty and lack of education.

Our heart aches deeply for these missing children as we are writing this. They can be just like any one of these girls in the photos. Girls should be innocent, carefree, spending time with friends and families, given the opportunity to study, and to dream and be loved. But our humanity has fallen when some of us see only the differences between us and take advantage of another person's vulnerability. Everyone is beautiful. Regardless of our genders, everyone is equal and deserving to be treated fairly. Together, we must look past our differences and love one another as we love ourselves. Only then can this cycle of abuse be stopped - in India and everywhere people are hurting now.

2010年到印度的Siliguri, 想望開辦慈惠服務。我們探望茶園、鄉村、小鎮，看見許多的需要，但超過一個當地人向我提及接壤不丹邊界的區域，告訴我關於「賣女」的故事，我心頭緊緊，很想親自看一看情況。由於路途遙遠，時間限制，所以花錢租車直達那一帶鄉村。

貧窮、簡陋、赤腳、破爛都有⋯ 小孩四處走，女孩也剃了頭，少女帶孩子，做家務，田務，很少見到快樂的面容。聽當地人講述，被賣，被騙的求救故事，卻無人可以援手。訪問村中父母，他們會告訴你女兒在城市工作，他們不知自己的決定如何影響她們的一生！只是沒有碰上一個可以告訴她自己故事的女孩子！

我爲印度、尼泊爾的婦女、孩子難過！

english description: Joe
chinese description: Violin