The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of 2020 puts Odisha as the second highest in the rate of crimes against women and girls in country. The gender-based atrocities reached an alarming high during the Covid-19 pandemic. In such situation, it is high time we took measures to empower and involve men to achieve gender equality, said Rama Devi (RD) Women's University VC Prof Aparajita Chowdhury.
“As basically, the perpetrators are male, efforts need to be made to understand their psychology and behavior and involve them in the process of eradicating sexual gender-based violence (SGBV),” Chowdhury added. She was addressing audience at learning-cum-experience sharing programme on ‘Quick Impact Project’ to mitigate Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) through community awareness and support system organised by Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) and Centre for Gender Studies, RD University here on Tuesday.The Quick Impact Project is an initiative by CYSD to eradicate the SGBV through community participation. It is being implemented in three tribal-dominated districts – Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Koraput.
She announced that the CYSD and the RD University will have a long-term coordinated action-research project on gender-based violence in the State.
CYSD mentor and co-founder, Jagadananda emphasized on the need to reach out to the victims and measures to ensure that they can have easy access to facilities – like one-stop centres (OSCs), Swadhar Grehs, Mahila O Shishu Desk at district headquarters police stations and Ujjawala Homes – which are meant to prevent and address gender-based violence. He also underlined the need for sensitive counselling of sexually-assaulted women and girls.
CYSD’s gender coordinator Uppali Mohanty raised concern over under-reporting of cases of violence due to lack of awareness and psychological pressure.
Many women have applied for divorce during pandemic period and most are from well-to-do families, said Chairperson, Odisha State Commission for Women, Dr Minati Behera.