From evidence collection to psychiatric support and counselling, women and children who are victims of crime can now get complete care at the one-stop crisis management centre opened at Parel’s KEM Hospital.
The centre is proposed to be named after Aruna Shanbaug, the KEM Hospital nurse who was a victim of sexual assault, and went into a vegetative state in the 1970s. It was inaugurated by Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday.
The main aim of this centre is to offer medical assistance, police assistance, psychosocial support, legal aid and counselling, and shelter for women who have been subjected to violence, all under one roof. “The centre has a multidisciplinary approach and will function in a victim-centric manner. Instead of taking the victim from one place to another, all the assistance will be offered here,” said Dr. Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM Hospital.
He said police officials across the city will be encouraged to bring the victims of violence to this centre. “A victim can directly walk into the centre as well and all the procedures will follow,” said Dr. Deshmukh. The centre will cater to victims of violence, sexual abuse and child abuse, he said.
24x7 centre
The 24x7 centre is a collaboration between the BMC and the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Evidence collection will be carried out by a team of forensic experts and gynaecologists from KEM Hospital.
Built at a cost of more than ₹1 crore by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the centre will have a dedicated team of counsellors, nurses and clerical staff and their salaries will be paid through the Nirbhaya Fund from the Centre.
“When survivors walk into the police station or hospitals, their trauma continues. At this centre, we have created an ambience where the women will feel safe and secure,” said Dr. Harish Pathak from KEM Hospital’s forensic department. He said the centre has a soundproof counselling room and a video conferencing facility so that the victim does not have to go to court. “The first contact of the victim will be a qualified counsellor. A nurse will then comfort the victim and summon the forensic expert, gynaecologist and psychiatrist for an overall examination. The police will also carry out their procedure at the centre,” said Dr. Pathak.
There is also short stay facility and a pantry if the victim wants to stay for a few days. “We will also fund her taxi ride so that she does not have to get home in a police van,” he said. The quality of evidence collection will be very high, and will help in building a watertight case, said Dr. Pathak.
At the inauguration, Ms. Irani said the country has 728 one-stop crisis centres today. “But we should all work towards a future where such one-stop crisis centres are not needed at all,” the minister said.