Vijaya (name changed), a teenager from an economically backward family in Nuzvid, recently sought the help of Mahila Rakshana Kendram, 24x7 rescue and response centre for women, on the premises of the Mahila Police Station in the city.
“The girl dialled 1091, helpline of the centre, and complained that her father was not allowing her to take an examination needed to join a local college. Counsellors of the centre spoke to her father, who was against education beyond SSC for a girl. They succeeded in convincing the man who agreed to support his daughter's education,” Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mahila Police Station, V.V. Naidu, told The Hindu.
Though Vijaya’s case doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the city police or doesn’t warrant the intervention of police, the required help was given.
“That’s the purpose of the centre,” says Bhumika Women’s Collective director Kondaveeti Satyavathi.
“It isn’t just a centre to help victims of harassment that are mainly taken care of by police but a platform to provide all sorts of services to women and girl children. Apart from counselling, women will be helped in exploring the government schemes, legal rights, filing cases properly and others as an empowerment,” she said.
Ms. Satyavathi visited the centre on Tuesday where the NGO’s counsellors offer their services. The centre, opened on July 4, is taking baby steps towards becoming a one-stop one to address all issues of women. The centre on an average receives about 20 calls every day. A woman’s complaint against harassment by her husband and his elder brother, and another by a woman who sought a counselling session are among them.
Fake, blank calls
However, fake and blank calls have become a problem officials said. “Besides silly complaints by children, we are also getting missed calls,” an official said. The centre will have two counsellors and a woman constable during the day and an emergency team will be posted at night.
“After receiving the complaint, we ask the victim to either visit our centre of the nearest police station for help besides providing counselling over the phone. Most of them do not want intervention of police and such cases are handled by the counsellors,” said D. Bindu, one of the counsellors. Mr. Naidu said that the centre has also received many calls from Telangana and other districts in AP.