03.21.07
Police-NGO partnership against domestic violence
[Note from the GSPP team: We congratulate the SP of Chitradurga, Mr. K.L. Sudheer on this initiative! A similar initiative has also begun in Bellary district, under the SP Mr. Amrit Paul.]
From The Hindu, March 16, 2007
Help is at hand for victims of domestic violence
Staff Correspondent
Mobile counselling centres to tour villages in Chitradurga
Chitradurga: In an attempt to address the issue of domestic violence where usually women are the victims, the Department of Police has come out with the novel idea of introducing mobile counselling centres in the district.
Superintendent of Police K.L. Sudheer told The Hindu that several cases of dowry harassment and harassment by inebriated husbands go unnoticed in rural areas. Owing to social pressures, women suffered the trauma but rarely came forward to register their grievances. Many, unable to bear the ordeal, even resorted to suicide, he said.
The Police Department, with the help of other departments such as Social Welfare and some non-governmental organisations, had decided to set up the mobile centres.
Mr. Sudheer said in the initial stage the department would arrange a van in which a woman police official, an advocate, two female nurses, a representative from an NGO and one PSI or ASI would tour villages. The villages to be covered would be intimated of the visit a day in advance. A meeting would be held in the village, where women could register their complaints. Counselling would either be given on the spot, or the victims would be directed to NGOs .
The staff would also hold awareness programmes on legal rights and sanitation.
If a woman does not wish to register her complaint personally at the centre, she could call up the staff concerned and state her problem, Mr. Sudheer said. The van would cover three or four villages a week. Mr. Sudheer said the mobile centres were expected to start functioning in a week. He said this was a small but sincere effort to reduce harassment.
Anuradha Visaria said,
May 29, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Iam a victim of domestic violence where I ‘ve been slapped by my brother-in law which resulted to the fracture of my jaw-bone and 11 long months of traumatic separation from my husband due to my husband’s inability and inefficiency in taking his own decisions.
Till date, I did not register a complaint against my brother-in-law for the domestic assault on me hoping, that my husband would some day realise his mistake and get separated with me from him. But to my utter grief till date neither did he gave me any financial assistance nor any mental support for his own brother’s behaviour and further did not take any step to prevent his behaviour.
Now I repent for my trust on my husband and wish to file a complaint in hope to get justice to me. what should I do? I am still yet to be operated on my broken Jaw-bone.
PLEASE HELP ME IMMEDIATELY…I DESPERATELY NEED UR HELP!!!
peoplefriendlypolice said,
May 30, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Dear Anuradha,
We are terribly sorry to hear of your present situation, but would like to congratulate you for your courage in standing up against it. Breaking the silence around domestic violence is the first, and most difficult, step any woman can take.
What you need to do next:
1. Decide whether you would like to book a *criminal case* against your husband and brother in order to punish them for the violence inflicted on you, or whether you want to book a *civil case* against your husband and brother-in-law seeking compensation for the trauma you have undergone. You can also book both a civil and a criminal case in parallel, i.e. simultaneously.
2. If you decide to book a criminal case, please go to your local police station (PS) and register a complaint against your husband and brother-in-law. The IPC sections they would normally use would be sections for assault and grievous injury (319-327) as well as Section 498(A). Please be aware that 498(A) is about any kind of cruelty – physical and mental – inflicted upon a married woman by her husband or his relatives. This is not only in the case of dowry harassment, as is commonly (mis)understood.
3. Please make sure you keep copies of the complaint you file, and that you get an acknowledgment of this complaint, and a copy of the FIR filed at the police station. That is your right.
4. If you decide to file a civil case, under the newly enacted Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005), you can go either to your local PS or your local Protection Officer (the Dept. of Women and Child Development will be able to help you with details). Under this Act, you can make sure you are given protection within the marital home, as well as ask for compensation for the violence (physical and emotional) inflicted on you.
While doing all this, try and get as many family and friends to support you through the process, as well as contact a counselling centre or a women’s organisation near you, who can help you with the process and the procedures. You can also contact your State Women’s Commission or the National Women’s Commission.
We are not sure whether you live in Karnataka or not, so we can’t give you details of organisations close to you who might be able to help. However, one of our team members will contact you separately, and try and help further if you are from Karnataka.
All the best, more strength to you.