Earlier this year, the police helped Sr Clara rescue Lakshmi from a life of slavery. Lakshmi had been working as a slave for two years. Lakshmi is only eight years old.

Like you may have seen on a television show, or movie, they waited until the wealthy businessman who purchased her, was at work. They raided his home. Lakshmi (whose name has been changed to protect her) was only saved because a neighbour overheard her cries while she was being beaten, repeatedly.

For two years her life was unprotected. She was forced to work long hours every day. She was not allowed to see her family, not allowed to attend school.

Lakshmi's story is not an isolated one. The police often call Marialaya to help rescue children from slavery and prostitution. They know one of the Sisters will always answer the call, day or night.

Chennai Train Station in South East India is the main transport hub for more than 70 million people, and one of the hunting grounds that organised criminal rings use to find vulnerable girls and young women.

Train whistles cut through thousands of Tamil voices. Food stall hawkers yell for business. Porters haggle with passengers to carry luggage. It is hot, it is sweaty. A lone, young female looks around nervous, scared and lost.

Sisters and lay workers from Marialaya are also at the station, eagerly searching for the girls, hoping to get to them before someone else does.

Girls from India's vast countryside and poor small villages are lured to Chennai with false promises of work and opportunity only to be taken by criminals who will traffic them to a life of slavery and prostitution.

It costs $125 to look after one girl per year.

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