Emotional abuse needs attention: DWCD secy
Delhi’s Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD) Secretary Rashmi Singh said violence against girls must be understood beyond physical harm, asserting that mental and emotional abuse can go unnoticed but leave “deep scars”.
Singh was speaking at the pre-launch of ‘Zidd: Voices of Resistance’, a book inspired by real-life experiences of adolescent girls who speak up, resist and question everyday violence, according to a statement. The event was hosted on Friday by the Mukka Maar NGO at the YMCA Auditorium in New Delhi, which saw officials, activists and educators marking the National Girl Child Day, it said. The launch was followed by a panel discussion centred on the question ‘Are our institutions ready when girls refuse to stay silent?’ Senior officials from the Delhi Government and police, along with child rights activists, participated in the event, along with Mukka Maar’s founder, Ishita Sharma. The discussion moved beyond statistics to lived experiences of fear, resistance and to the small acts of courage girls perform daily, according to the statement.
Singh said violence must be understood beyond physical harm. “Mental and emotional abuse often goes unseen but leaves deep scars,” she said.
Special Commissioner of Police Ajay Chaudhry spoke about continuing to hear similar stories through his years in service.
“Bolna padega (one must speak up),” he said, stressing that silence helps no one.
Atiya Bose, CEO of the non-profit Aangan Trust, pointed out that safety is still treated as a private issue rather than a public responsibility, while Sharma urged society to lower its tolerance for all forms of violence, not just extreme cases. The stories in ‘ZIDD’, Sharma said, reflect girls who refuse to choose between being “nice” and being safe.
“The message from the evening was clear: safer futures will only be built when girls’ voices are heard, believed and acted upon,” the statement added.
