Sunitha Krishnan is one of the world’s most fearless voices against sexual violence and human trafficking. A survivor of gang rape at 15, she co-founded Prajwala, an NGO fighting sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. Since its inception in 1996, Prajwala has rescued over 30,000 women and girls across 12 countries and prevented 17,000 children from being pushed into sex slavery. Sunitha’s pioneering work has reshaped victim rehabilitation through trauma-informed shelter homes, policy reforms, and global survivor-led campaigns like #MenAgainstDemand and #ShameTheRapist, reaching millions. 

Ms. Krishnan has played a leading role in drafting India’s first Anti-Trafficking Policy and influencing major legal and tech sector reforms. Her work has earned her the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, and global recognition as a changemaker, including being named one of Newsweek’s “150 Fearless Women in the World.” From counseling survivors to reforming judicial systems, Sunitha continues to transform personal pain into a global mission of justice, dignity, and power.