Vigilant and strong work of 181 Abhayam Mahila Suraksha Helpline Vadodara in the difficult year of 2020

Help given to women got in trouble during the year by getting 5974 calls

The state government has made various arrangements to realize the pledge of giving protection to women. In which 181 Abhayam Mahila Suraksha Helpline is becoming a chain of crisis time for urban and rural women.

This collaborative approach of the State Department of Women and Child Development, Home Department and State Commission for Women has been operating since 2013. Under GVK EMRI, Its services are being coordinated by a state-of-the-art emergency call center and providing immediate help, guidance and protection to distressed women.

Even in the midst of Covid crisis, the emergency response teams and field teams of the service have set an example of vigilant work by constantly working for women’s safety.

181 Abhayam Mahila Suraksha Helpline in 8 talukas of Vadodara city and district is providing uninterrupted services through three vans. Vadodara Abhayam, while performing vigilant and vigorous work for the protection of women in the difficult year of 2020, provided warmth and comfort to the troubled women with the necessary help under 5974 calls received on the basis of 181.

Helping women in cases of domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace, harassment through social media, molestation and rape was carried out without fear of the danger of Covid 19.

Chandrakant Makwana, Coordinator, Vadodara Abhayam, said that the number of calls received for protection against domestic violence has increased significantly in the year 2020 as a side effect of the long lockdown.

Normally they received 24 to 26% calls but during this year it has increased to 42 to 44 percent. In such time they were able to help the women in distress by providing the necessary help by keeping a persuasive approach, and by explaining the importance of family spirit.

The fear of Covid infection was so deep and pervasive that when the Corona Warrior sisters involved in occupations such as nursing experienced harassment, the team used persuasion and fear of the law to help them as well.

However, the Abhayam Seva teams also felt that their dedicated services were appreciated by God. Chandrakant said that by the grace of God, the members of their teams remained free from this disease. They constantly adhered to the Covid protocol like testing all the people from time to time, using safety kits and sanitizers, masks etc. which has got very good results.

Giving details of the operation in 2020, he said that during the year, they extend help to women need help in incidents of domestic violence after received 4109 calls. from sisters who were in need of protection or those who wanted to help them, in which our teams helped in rescuing the sisters in a timely manner. Speaking from 2014, Abhayam, Vadodara has provided help against a total of 21,907 calls on domestic violence.

During the last year, they received a total of 943 calls seeking help in disputes with neighbors, in which their teams provided the necessary help through persuasion and mediation.

Child marriage is a social evil and a crime under the law. Vadodara Abhayam also get calls to stop child marriage if it has taken place somewhere. In the year 2020, four such calls have been received and the team prevented child marriages.

The concerned families have been made aware of the crime and punishment and hence such child marriages have been prevented. Abhayam has made the necessary positive interventions to prevent child marriages in 39 such calls from 2014 to 2020.

Similarly, it provided much-needed help and protection in over 30 calls for complaints of violence and harassment under the guise of alcoholism, drug abuse and other effects.

Abhayam, Vadodara received 188 calls in 2020 to protect the women from harassment through various dimensions of social media along with telephonic, in which the necessary help was also provided by the teams. Thus, 181 Abhyam Helpline, Vadodara has performed its duty of protection of women even in the midst of the Covid crisis in 2020.

At present 3 rescue vehicles and teams of this service are working day and night 24 hours a day to help the distressed women at Bapod and Mahila Police Station Karelibagh as well as Padra Police Station. Victims can get help by calling 181 and people can also call this number and perform a civic duty to help women in distress.