Now it's some good news, a progressive move and a step in the right direction. Starting February 26, all police stations of Bengaluru City will have women help desk officers. They will offer support to women in distress.
"Really glad to be a part of this path breaking initiative of BCP," wrote Isha Pant, DCP Command Centre Bengaluru, sharing the news on her Twitter handle.
Commissioner of Police Bengaluru City, Kamal Pant shared the news, "Women Help Desk Counsellors after the successful training are all set to join from Feb 26. Every police station in Bengaluru will now have a Women Helpdesk to offer psychological support to women in distress."
Beware stalkers
Many a women came on their social media handles to share their experience of being harassed, stalked and even sexually harassed. Is there a woman who hasn't come across the unfortunate incident at least once in her life?
Almost every woman at some point wanted to take the matter to police stations but hesitated as they're usually manned by male officers. A women helpdesk will ensure more and more to come forward to report a crime.
In conversation with a woman and a cop
Question Isha Pant, DCP Command Centre Bengaluru, on one thing she thinks that keeps women away from reporting crime and she tosses the question back at you. "This is something that I have been asking women around. You tell me. We've all faced harassment, without exception, at some point, in some form or the other. There are many things that discourage women from approaching police actually. Family to begin with, who'll question girls in their family, "Why are you going to police station for such a small thing?" She adds, "Society and the fact that we've so normalised and accepted the culture where an indecent hoot or a whistle is overlooked." She minces no words, nor spares anyone of the charge.
The women cops have been trained in four batches comprising nine-day workshop that extensively dealt with orienting them to the law and training them on how to assist a female reporting crime in every possible way. "We had speakers from Ministry of Women and Child Development come and share their knowledge and experience. Three days of the training were spent in police station where the focus was also on how to give psychological first aid to female victims, the importance of self-care that needs to be taught to women in distress, among other things."Other similar initiatives
Earlier this month, the Vadodara Police set up a special centre under its SHE Team to help fight crime against women and the elderly. Recognising that most crimes against women require counselling the female victims as well as helping them file the complaint, the team of police officials has been trained accordingly.
Many a studies have highlighted the need for counselling support to female victims and women-related crimes in general. A women helpdesk acknowledges the fact that women hesitate in reporting a crime and of those who do report a crime are never confident of their decision.
Meanwhile, it's a step forward
Most essentially, it's a step in the right direction. Probably, the one that administration should have taken a long while back, said many on social media welcoming the news, with heaps of encouragement and hope.
