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A woman facing violence at home in 7 Indian metros can reach out to these organizations working to provide immediate and long term help for domestic violence victims.
Domestic violence can destroy a woman physically, psychologically, and economically if the right help is not given to her before it’s too late.
Domestic abuse is a widely neglected issue widely prevalent, as the perpetrators feel they are entitled to abuse the victims, and the victims are shamed to believe it’s normal. The need for safe spaces outside the family is increasingly growing as the families are almost always hostile to the victims; and the ones who are welcoming, barely have the knowledge to respond to the victims when one reaches out to them.
The more professional the help is, the more progressive the fight against domestic violence turns out to be.
NFHS-3 survey (2005-06) showed that 31% of married women faced violence at home. The same survey taken in 2015-16 (NFHS-4) showed 33.3% (2.3% increase) of married women face violence at home. In the two surveys: 24% of reported crimes in 2005-06 fell to 14% in 2015-2016%, as the literacy rate, financial dependence and low conviction rate (NFHS 2015-16, NCRB 2014-16) played huge roles in under-reporting of the crimes according to analysts. The lack of a nation-wide crime victimization survey increases the credibility of NFHS surveys, despite having just 7,00,000 participants in the survey, which in turn, raises the question about the percentage of unreported domestic violence incidents in the country.
The survey also reveals that less than 3.5% of the domestic cases are registered, as most of the victims seek help outside the institutions: 65% of help comes from the victim’s family. Institutional support is at 4% (police), 2%(religious leaders), and 1%(Doctors, lawyers, or social service groups). This avoidance of institutional support by the victims due to fear, lack of knowledge, or financial and moral support adds to the under-reporting of the crimes, which in turn does little or no help in curbing domestic violence as a whole picture.
Here are some of the organizations in the big cities of the country, that the women can reach out when they are need of help.
Vanitha Sahayavani was established in 1999 by the Bengaluru city police. It operates from the office of the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru. Their services include free tele-counseling, police assistance, crisis intervention, rescue in case of domestic violence, harassment and/or abuse.
Contact: They can be reached 24/7 by dialling 100. Other phone numbers: 080-22943225, 25233650 and 22872364.
Vimochana started mainly focusing on domestic violence and harassment at workplace, working within the office, but seeing the horrors of domestic violence, they expanded their services starting from investigating the cases. Their services include providing shelter to the victims, counseling, rehabilitation, as well as providing aid.
Contact: 33/1-9, 4th Cross, Thyagraj Layout, Maruthi Seva Nagar PO, Bangalore, Karnataka – 560024 and they can be reached at: 080-25492781, 25492782, 25492783.
PCVC has taken many initiatives to address the issue of domestic violence and helps women beginning with crisis intervention, focusing on burn victims and rehabilitating the women to lead a normal life. Their services include counseling, providing shelter, legal advocacy, medical and legal referral.
Contact: 2030, 13th Main Road, Anna Nagar West, Chennai 600040 and they can be reached at the number: 044-43111143
SAVE Trust engages with women from under-privileged parts of the city to let the women in need know that they have all the rights to live with dignity, free from abuse. They counsel women, help them with legal references, conduct awareness programs, as well as equip women with skills to lead their lives financially independent.
Contact: No. 5, Annasamy Street, Perambur, Chennai 600011 and the number to reach them is 044-25511446.
Sneha Mumbai works by working with communities to respond to domestic violence and with the public system to improve service delivery. Their programs in the city have scaled across the state, as well as to other states. Their services on domestic violence include counseling the victims, providing shelter, assistance in contacting the police, legal counseling, psychiatric and psycho-therapeutic services.
Contact: Behind Building No. 11, BMC Colony, Shastri Nagar, Santa Cruz West, Mumbai 400 054 and can be reached at the numbers: 9833052684, 9167535765.
Savitribai Phule Gender Resource Center acts as a platform for the agencies that focus on empowering women, enhancing and advocating the lives of women, to create a women friendly city. True to their name, their services provide resources for women in need, and also give counseling and legal aid to women facing domestic violence.
Contact: Balasheth Mandurkar Marg, Elphinstone (W), Saidham Nagar, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013 and can be contacted through the phone numbers: 2224325950.
Shakti Shalini is fierce when it comes to battling gender based violence. They home the victims of domestic violence and focus on the providing adequate knowledge for the victims on their rights. Their services include providing shelter, counseling, legal, medical and economical support.
Contact: 6/30-B, Basement, Kargil Park Lane, Jangpura, New Delhi and can be reached through the phone number: 1091/ 1291 (011) 23317004
Jagori fights against domestic violence by informing, inspiring and empowering women. Their researches on combating gender violence and their resources for the victims, hand in hand with other organizations with similar goals, have been helping women in the city thrive despite the violence they had faced.
Contact: B-114, ShivalikMalviya Nagar, New Delhi 110017 and can be reached at: 011-26691219, 011-26691220.
Saheli was registered in 2013 and it helps the victims of domestic violence through sensitization and direct intervention. They reach out to people on various socio-economic backgrounds aside from providing direct help to the victims. Their services include crisis intervention, women\’s helpline, shelter and self help groups.
Contact: Unit 105-108, Defence Colony Flyover Market, New Delhi, Delhi – 100024 and can be reached through: 011-24616485.
Bahrosa Support Center for Women & Children, an initiative of the city\’s police was initiated to support women facing abuse in every space in the society. The center provides specialized services depending upon the issue which a woman is referred to it. They offer services such as running a helpline, providing medical and legal support, counseling, helping victims register cases, and with prosecution and rehabilitation.
Contact: Ground Floor, HACA Bhavan, Saifabad, Hyderabad – 500004, Telangana. Ph no: 040-27852500
My Choices has one of its main focuses as putting an end to domestic violence. Their operation PeaceMaker has people trained in all aspects of the Domestic Violence ACT. Their services include giving counseling, providing legal aid, in field support.
Contact: #18-2-532, Engine Bowli, Opposite Rythu Bazar, Falaknuma, Hyderabad, Telangana 500054 and can be reached through the number: 8106119106.
Human Rights Law Network helps victims of domestic violence by providing legal support. They focus on atrocities against women, including domestic violence and acid attacks, and they have specialized lawyers on their team to support the victims in the court.
Contact: H. No. 23-3-540, Baqshi Bazar, Sultan Shahi, Old City, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500265. Phone number: 011-24374501, 011-24379855
AKS foundation‘s primary focus is on domestic violence and sexual assault. It empowers victims by providing support in order for them to become survivors. They have crisis lines, provide counseling, offer shelter and crisis intervention.
Contact: They can be reached at 8793088814.
Nari Samata Manch eyes a society in which equality exists in all spheres of life. They get along with various other organizations in the City to help end domestic violence. Their services include providing shelter to the victims, counseling, and resources for the victims.
Contact: 473, Sawali, SadashivPeth, Opp. Lane of New English School, Tilak road, Pune 411030. Phone number: 020-24494652, 020-24473116
Swadhar believes that empowering women is the most effective tool for development. They provide support for women in distress and their services include counseling and conducting awareness programs.
Contact: 1170/20B, Kharshikar Bunglow,Near Kinikar Chowk Revenue Colony, Shivajinagar, Pune 411005. Phone: 020-24533452.
Swayam was started to provide holistic support service to victims of violence. It looks beyond immediate need for support by grooming the victims to become self-confident, self-sufficient, and self-reliant. Their services include counseling, contact and follow-up with police, legal advice, legal aid, shelter and healthcare support.
Contact: 9/2B Deodar Street, Kolkatta, WB 700019. Phone number: 2486 3367/3368/3357.
All India Women’s Conference helps women excise their Fundamental Rights and works to help lead women live a life free of domestic violence and sexual harassment. Their services include conducting programs on legal rights of women and providing medical aid to the victims of domestic abuse.
Contact: 8, Bethune Row, Kol-700 006. Phone: 23373605 / 24780214 / 23595864.
Sutanutir Sakhya helps women live with dignity, especially by empowering women who are the victims of domestic violence, deprivation and distress. They services include providing legal aid to the victims.
Contact: 1/4B Paik Para 3rd Row, Kol-700 037. Phone: 65333789 / 65223825.
A society without domestic violence doesn’t have to be a dream. It can be achieved if just the right guidance is given to the victims and if the women of now are educated to take a stand against domestic violence. For the women who think they are helpless, can be shown that there’s help around them. There may not be many help around them, but there definitely will be one which will pull them out of the violent past, into a fruitful one.
Image source: Unsplash
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