Viji Sundaram, Author at San Francisco Public Press

Viji Sundaram

Viji Sundaram reports for the San Francisco Public Press on domestic violence issues. She formerly worked as health editor of New America Media in San Francisco and as a staff reporter for publications including India-West, a weekly for the South Asian community in the U.S., the Cape Cod Times, Providence Journal and New Bedford Standard Times. She has been awarded several fellowships and won 15 journalism awards, including one for her exposé on McDonald’s use of beef in its so-called vegetarian fries.

Public Safety

How an infamous Berkeley human trafficking case fueled reform

02.16.2012

By Viji Sundaram, Reporter

Advocates for increased prison terms say 10-year-old sex trafficking case changed conversation
This special report appeared in the Spring 2012 print edition of the San Francisco Public Press. (Read in Spanish at La Opiñon/Impremedia. Leer en español en La Opiñon/Impremedia.)
Lakireddy Balireddy shocked the Bay Area a decade ago when investigators discovered how the Berkeley landlord transported young women and girls from India for sex. He served eight years in prison. His case still inspires reformers who want to put human traffickers away for longer.This year’s campaign to get tougher anti-trafficking laws on the November ballot as a voter initiative is the latest attempt to deal with what proponents call the unfinished business of legal reform.