KATHMANDU: Young village women usually fall prey to some unscrupulous people who promise better jobs and good money, according to a report compiled by Nepal Police (NP).

The report based on the cases filed between mid-July, 2009 to mid-February, 2010 by 93 victims-88 women and five men-states that 83 males and 29 females were involved in human trafficking and all of them were either friends or relatives of the victims.

Most of the victims were of between 19-25 years of age. Others, the report says, were in their teens. "Twenty-five males and two females are in the age group of 19-24 and 23 females and one male are between 13-16 years of age," said DIG Bigyan Raj Sharma, Spokesperson of NP.

Five girls under 12 years of age and four women above 36 years were trafficked during the period. The figures show how women are suffering at the hands of their own friends and relatives. Most of the victims were involved in farming.

A majority of the victims, 74, were literate, one was SLC graduate and 14 were illiterate.

Surprisingly, 31 married women and two couple were sweet-talked by the human traffickers and were sold to some places where workplace exploitation is rampant. Sadly, there is no data as to where they were sold. Those involved in human trafficking, according to the report, are above 37 years of age.

But the report is just a tip of the iceberg, say police officials. There are several others cases of human trafficking which are never reported for the fear of social discrimination, stigma and retribution from the perpetrators.