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The mock trial is a process, where
courtroom trials are repeated for practise among victims
of trafficking and unsafe migration. These are conducted
in homes/ shelters for rescued girls and women. The
purpose of these mock trials is to empower the trafficked
girls/ women; who have earlier been taken to courts,
without proper courtroom knowledge. Empowered conduct with
skills and they can save themselves from verbal traps laid
out by pimps, brothel owners, traffickers and their
lawyers.
As these girls /women do not have any idea of the court
environment and procedures of law, they are easily
embarrassed and puzzled during cross questioning, thus
unable to furnish right answers. On the other hand, the
brothel owner or the trafficker also threaten them by
saying that they will kill their family members or spoil
their reputation so that they are never taken back in
their homes etc.
The mock trials help the victim /survivors to learn what
happens inside the courtroom - how and what type of
questions are asked, and how the victims/ survivors must
answer them in their defence. This exercise helps the
women to be mentally prepared to face the lawyers and
answer correctly. Since the trial takes place long after
the victims have gone to the remand homes, this mock
exercise also helps them to refresh their memory.
The counsellor, social worker of the home who accompany
the victims/ survivors to the court of law, keep a watch
on the traffickers or brothel owners so that they are
unable to intimidate or threaten them. The mock trial has
proven to be very useful and effective and it is a very
important intervention to provide justice to the
victims/survivors.
STOP Delhi is the State Secretariat of ATSEC DELHI.
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