Shillong: The Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) is investigating claims that women from the state were misled into working at a Pune massage parlour. Recruiters initially promised the women training in hair care, facial treatments, and spa services. The program began with three months of training in Khliehriat before shifting to Guwahati and finally Pune.
Upon arrival in Pune, the women discovered they were expected to provide body massages to male clients. Bariphylla Lytan, team leader at Impulse NGO Network, noted the women felt deceived. "The women felt very uncomfortable because they had always believed the training was for facial and hair services. They were never informed that they would be required to provide body massages for men," Lytan said.
One woman contacted her family for help after the situation soured. A distress message reached anti-trafficking groups, prompting an immediate intervention by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU). A partner organisation in Pune inspected the site and found several women living in cramped, poor conditions. Lytan reported that the women were sleeping, eating, and training in the same rooms while men stayed on the ground floor.
The Pune AHTU is now checking the facility to see if it holds a legal license for this type of operation. Meanwhile, MSCW Chairperson Iamonlang M. Syiem has dispatched staff to Khliehriat to interview the women and local contacts. The commission intends to verify the facts independently before deciding on legal action against the training centre.
Comments