Delhi: Now, visit Mother Dairy booth to report domestic abuse

NEW DELHI: Mother Dairy outlets and chemist shops, which have remained open throughout the Covid-19 lockdown in the capital, are now also serving as centres for women to silently report domestic abuse. With the domestic abuse cases in Delhi nearing 100 during the lockdown, Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) has chosen these places among others to spread awareness about its helpline number and also to allow a victim of domestic violence to pass on the information discreetly.
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) had recently come out with a report which revealed that Delhi had the third highest number of domestic violence cases in the country till mid-May.
“In the pre-lockdown period, the victims would come to us to report. But now, we are trying to reach out to them at their doorstep. Once we receive a complaint or a call on our helpline number, our counsellors speak to both the victim and the abuser. But if the abuser is not willing to speak or is evasive, we depute a lawyer who files a petition in court on behalf of the victim,” said DSLSA member secretary Kanwal Jeet Arora.
According to DSLSA, Mother Dairy booths and chemist shops are present in every locality of the city. Women frequent milk booths and pharmacy shops which have remained functional during the lockdown and hence these were chosen as centres to report domestic abuse. A similar tie-up with anganwadi and ASHA workers to report local domestic violence cases has yielded positive results.
DSLSA chairperson Justice Hima Kohli last week made the reporting mechanism more robust by starting a mobile application that is available for download on android platform. Termed ‘Vidhik Sewa,’ the app intends to provide free legal aid to domestic violence victims among others. “Once the app is downloaded, the woman can register her details and write to us about the alleged abuse or violence. We will reach out to her through telecounselling,” Arora told TOI.
Last month, the authority had informed the high court that it had started a toll-free helpline number 1516 with a view to help vulnerable sections of society and another WhatsApp number 9667992802 wherein any victim of domestic violence could approach it through SMS or by just giving a missed call. The victim would be contacted and provided legal aid and advice.