The safety and security of women seem to have finally caught the attention of the authorities after the gruesome Delhi gang-rape. The Bangalore City Police announced a new 24-hour helpline number for women recently.
However, not many know that it's the case of old wine in new bottle. Instead of launching a new number, the Bangalore City Police has simply relaunched the existing toll-free helpline number — 1091 of Vanitha Sahaya Vani and converted it into a 24x7 women's helpline, to be monitored by an official of the rank of the deputy commissioner of police.
Metrolife interacts with the City Police, NGOs and women in general to understand how this little tweaking will help improve the poor state of working of helplines in the City. Those manning 1091 at Mahila Sahaya Vani inform that they have been receiving not less than 300 calls a day, not only from Bangalore but differents parts of the State, after the Delhi incident. Rani Shetty, coordinator of Mahila Sahaya Vani, says, "Earlier, we were here only till 5.30 pm to answer all the calls on 1091 but and after that the number was diverted to the control room, where they gave my number. But now, this number will run 24x7, with the existing staff. It's a big problem because we have to reorganise ourselves with limited staff strength."
Additional commissioner of police (law and order) T Suneel Kumar states that the helpline 1091 will now have staff working on a shift basis. "There will be no counselling offered like earlier. Instead the callers will be given immediate police assistance. We will alert the respective jurisdictional police and they will intervene based on the nature of the complaint," says Suneel.
Saranya S Hegde, president Mahila Dakshatha Samithi, informs that the helpline 1092, that they used to run, was scrapped two years ago, following shortage of funds. "We had no support from the government in terms of funding and the counsellors refused to work for a small sum of money. Another hindrance was that only those calling from a BSNL number could get through to our number. It was not that accessible, so we wound it up," she says.
Women, especially students and those working in the City, believe that there aren't enough agencies or even helplines to turn to when in distress. Kheyali Das, a student of Acharya Institute of Technology, feels staying away from home teaches one how to be independent. "The security system in the City needs to improve. The helplines are useless. One has to take precaution. It's better to move around in large groups, that gives single woman a lot of confidence," she says.
Shwetha N S, well into her twenties, says that she has been staying away from home for the last five years. "I keep my local guardian informed when I am out with my friends. There are no helplines that work late at night so the first thing that one thinks of is to call someone one knows."
Nishi V, another single woman living in the City, says that the first thing she got hold of when she moved into the City was the number of the jurisdictional police station. "When in trouble, I feel it is better to contact the local guardian and later the police. I think staying in a hostel is safer than staying outside," she notes. Nishi also says that none of the existing helplines are of any use.
Roopa Rao, a college lecturer who moved to the City a year ago, strongly feels, "The first thing I did was to get hold of the police numbers and emergency helplines but I discovered that some of the numbers either don't work or are not answered. What's the point?"
However, not many know that it's the case of old wine in new bottle. Instead of launching a new number, the Bangalore City Police has simply relaunched the existing toll-free helpline number — 1091 of Vanitha Sahaya Vani and converted it into a 24x7 women's helpline, to be monitored by an official of the rank of the deputy commissioner of police.
Metrolife interacts with the City Police, NGOs and women in general to understand how this little tweaking will help improve the poor state of working of helplines in the City. Those manning 1091 at Mahila Sahaya Vani inform that they have been receiving not less than 300 calls a day, not only from Bangalore but differents parts of the State, after the Delhi incident. Rani Shetty, coordinator of Mahila Sahaya Vani, says, "Earlier, we were here only till 5.30 pm to answer all the calls on 1091 but and after that the number was diverted to the control room, where they gave my number. But now, this number will run 24x7, with the existing staff. It's a big problem because we have to reorganise ourselves with limited staff strength."
Additional commissioner of police (law and order) T Suneel Kumar states that the helpline 1091 will now have staff working on a shift basis. "There will be no counselling offered like earlier. Instead the callers will be given immediate police assistance. We will alert the respective jurisdictional police and they will intervene based on the nature of the complaint," says Suneel.
Saranya S Hegde, president Mahila Dakshatha Samithi, informs that the helpline 1092, that they used to run, was scrapped two years ago, following shortage of funds. "We had no support from the government in terms of funding and the counsellors refused to work for a small sum of money. Another hindrance was that only those calling from a BSNL number could get through to our number. It was not that accessible, so we wound it up," she says.
Women, especially students and those working in the City, believe that there aren't enough agencies or even helplines to turn to when in distress. Kheyali Das, a student of Acharya Institute of Technology, feels staying away from home teaches one how to be independent. "The security system in the City needs to improve. The helplines are useless. One has to take precaution. It's better to move around in large groups, that gives single woman a lot of confidence," she says.
Shwetha N S, well into her twenties, says that she has been staying away from home for the last five years. "I keep my local guardian informed when I am out with my friends. There are no helplines that work late at night so the first thing that one thinks of is to call someone one knows."
Nishi V, another single woman living in the City, says that the first thing she got hold of when she moved into the City was the number of the jurisdictional police station. "When in trouble, I feel it is better to contact the local guardian and later the police. I think staying in a hostel is safer than staying outside," she notes. Nishi also says that none of the existing helplines are of any use.
Roopa Rao, a college lecturer who moved to the City a year ago, strongly feels, "The first thing I did was to get hold of the police numbers and emergency helplines but I discovered that some of the numbers either don't work or are not answered. What's the point?"