Latest news with #OSCs
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Police stations in 8 districts to house trauma support centres for women
Mumbai: The state government has approved the establishment of temporary shelters-cum-counselling centres for women in 104 police stations spread across eight districts. These centres will provide immediate psychological support, legal aid, and short-term rehabilitation to women and children facing abuse. They will be funded by the state government and operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The approval was granted at the State Level Steering Committee meeting dated February 20, which was chaired by the additional chief secretary (home department). The government resolution issued subsequently named nine NGOs to run the centres – one NGO each for Palghar, Satara, Ahmednagar, Nandurbar, Buldhana, Nagpur and Amravati districts, and two NGOs for Wardha. Police stations are usually the first point of contact for women and children who face abuse, and police personnel often provide informal counselling and escort survivors to shelter homes, said a senior official from the women and child development (WCD) department, which will be the controlling authority under the scheme. 'This new model will formalise the process by establishing dedicated units within police stations, allowing for decentralised, better-equipped support facilities,' the official said. Each shelter-cum-counselling centre will be located inside a police station and be overseen by district women and child development officers and superintendents of police. They will be staffed by counsellors with master's in social work (MSW) degrees, who will help survivors file police complaints, offer trauma-informed counselling, and assist in navigating medical and legal processes. Counsellors' honorariums will be transferred by the state government directly to their bank accounts, eliminating the need for payments via NGOs. The move follows widespread criticism of the 45 One-Stop Crisis Centres (OSCs) in the state, which are located inside hospital premises and offer support to rape and molestation victims. A 2023 review by the state commission for women revealed that most OSCs lacked trained personnel, round-the-clock services, and coordination with the police. In Mumbai, only one out of every 110 rape survivors was referred to an OSC. 'We had to start holding sensitisation sessions just to get the police to refer survivors to us,' said Swati Bandose from the Jogeshwari Trauma Centre OSC. 'Often, police don't involve us at all. Locating these services within police stations is the right step forward.' The new centres could have significant impact in districts like Nandurbar and Gadchiroli, where women still face resistance while trying to file basic complaints, said Seema Deshpande, president of Bhartiya Stree Shakti, which runs the Nagpur OSC. 'Having trained counsellors within police stations could finally open doors that have remained shut for too long,' she said. Sandhya Gokhale, a senior member of the Forum Against Oppression of Women (FAOW), welcomed the development, saying the new model placed support where it was needed the most. 'It's an institutional fix that could eliminate the trauma survivors face when they are forced to run between departments after experiencing violence,' said Gokhale. 'But it will only work if the state invests in proper oversight.' HT reached out to Dr Anup Kumar Yadav, secretary, state WCD department, but he did not respond to calls and messages.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Time of India
What's your emergency?
Nirbhaya 181 Women Helpline women in distress toll-free helpline Child Helpline Dowry harassment Women in distress who require emotional or psychological support are referred to the One-Stop Centres for appropriate counseling — Women and Child Development department official . Launched in the aftermath of thegangrape case in 2012, thecontinues to serve as a vital support system for. Operated by the Department of Women and Child Development, thisfunctions 24/7, offering immediate assistance, emotional support, and links to essential April 2024 to April 2025, the helpline received a total of 1.67 lakh (1,67,000) calls. Out of these, 1.42 lakh calls were found to be irrelevant, while 25,319 were genuine and led to active intervention. The helpline works closely with other emergency networks to ensure comprehensive support.A total of 1,519 calls were forwarded to the 112 police emergency service, and 1,457 calls were redirected to the 1098Demonstrating inter-agency collaboration, 22 calls were received from the 1098 helpline, while four were routed from 112. Additionally, 367 cases requiring in-depth support were forwarded to One Stop Centres (OSC) for counseling and most frequent issue reported was physical violence, accounting for 54 closely with 43 calls, while verbal abuse and threats made up 40 cases. Online disputes emerged as a significant concern with 30 calls, and 29 women reported abuse or violence in public spaces or the most reported issues, the helpline addressed a broad spectrum of distress calls. Legal disputes and sexual violence each accounted for 16 calls, while 11 cases involved sexual harassment. Emotional and mental abuse, along with denial of shelter, were each cited in six calls. Family-related disputes, missing persons, and workplace issues had five cases each. Rape and runaway cases were recorded in four calls each, followed by two cases each of health issues and financial abuse. Isolated incidents such as human trafficking, kidnapping, substance abuse, property conflicts, displacement, and even honour killings were also reported, each with one the assisted calls, 367 were forwarded to One Stop Centres. Officials explained that OSCs provide comprehensive counseling, addressing concerns ranging from domestic disputes to mental health.'Women in distress who require emotional or psychological support are referred to the OSCs for appropriate counseling,' a department official told BM.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SC sub-categorisation row: Haryana, not Telangana, made first move
NEW DELHI: Haryana, last Nov, became the first state to notify 'sub-categorisation of SCs', contrary to the claims of Telangana that it kickstarted the process in the country by unveiling the policy on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti. The Supreme Court in Aug 2024 green-lighted division of Dalits into sub-groups with the objective of ensuring equitable distribution of reservation benefits among various sub-castes. The landmark judgement overturned the apex court's EV Chinnaiah judgment which in 2004 ruled that states cannot tamper with the SC list which was the domain of the President under Article 341 of the Constitution. The BJP govt in Haryana got off the blocks immediately, rushing into the state elections by announcing in Aug 2024 that it will effect sub-categorisation. On coming back to power, the Nayab Saini govt issued a notification in Nov 2024 dividing Dalits into two blocs — 'Deprived SCs' and 'Other SCs'. Haryana's social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Bedi told TOI that the state cabinet passed the proposal on sub-division of Dalits on Oct 18, 2024, while a notification was later issued on Nov 13. 'We have already made appointments in Kurukshetra University based on sub-categorisation, while new advertisements announcing the vacancies have also been published,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You - See Tips Amusement Park Equipment | search ads Click Here Undo Sub-categorisation, which apportions reservation quantum among sub-groups according to their population, has historically been a controversial issue. While the 'dominant' groups oppose the move because it would shrink their share of the quota pie, the 'backward SCs' argue that it will advance their cause by removing an unfair competition with their socio-politically empowered brethren. Their grievance is that in an open competition for common quota, the 'forward SCs' are more competitive and corner the benefits. However, there is a key difference in the approach the two states have adopted in activating the policy. Telangana set up a Commission and the assembly passed a bill which divides the SCs into three sub-groups, while Haryana has taken the decision based on a cabinet approval and divided SCs into two groups. Also, the Haryana policy has been challenged in the Punjab and Haryana high court by a Mahasabha opposed to sub-categorisation, alleging in its petition that the state has no quantifiable data to classify the lists or to apportion 50% quota to DSCs and OSCs each. It has alleged that the exercise carried out by Haryana Commission for SCs was a mere eyewash, with no basis given for grouping of SCs as DSCs and OSCs.
