The four digit women helpline number 1091 is proving a lifeline for not only for the destitute girls or ladies in the State but also the victims of rape, molestation, eve-teasing, domestic violence, indecent calls and messages on mobile phones, indecent e-mails etc in the State.
Talking to The Pioneer, Home Secretary of Haryana Samir Mathur said the women helpline number 1091 was activated in all districts of the State, a few months back and it has got a very good response as it received more than 1,380 complaints till the end of December 2012 for which the data has been analysed.
“Specially trained women police officials have been deputed to attend this number, so that victims may brief their problem without any hitch to the concerned police officials,” added Mathur.
Middle and senior level police officers including women police officers are monitoring legal action on each and every call on this number. Prompt and appropriate action is being taken on each and every complaint received on this number, he added.
Mathur said that other measures to curb gender related crimes, include deputing a women officer in the rank of DSP or Inspector as Nodal officer at district level in cases of offences against women, briefing policemen especially at lower level about methodology of village tour and densely populated colonies in urban areas and about ways to inspire confidence and trust women folk.
In addition, increasing police patrolling near schools, colleges and interaction with principals, teachers and students sensitising them about sexual harassment and other crimes against women and girls and taking steps to prevent such crime etc. are also being done.
We also instructed all the commissioners of police, range IGPs, DSPs and SP Railways to identify hot spots for even teasing such as colleges, high/higher secondary schools, tuition/coaching centres, markets, call centres etc and to deploy mobile/fixed duties of police officials including women in uniform or civil clothes during appropriate time periods for prevention/control of eve teasing in their jurisdiction.
The series of steps have come in the wake of increased cases of violence against women in Haryana which went up from 5,373 in 2011 to 5,955 in 2012. The numbers of rape cases registered in 2012 were 686 compared to 733 in 2011; other crimes against women went up. Of these, the number of gang-rape cases last year was 118. More women were molested in 2012 with 521 cases compared to 464 in 2011, according to figures of the State Government.