PIB Headquarters
Women Helpline emerges as One stop centre for Women in distress
NCW launches special whatsapp helpline for reporting domestic violence during lockdown
When the world is going through the crisis of COVID-19 and consequent lockdown, the Union Government and its machinery are taking extra care to alleviate the sufferings of various sections of society including women and children. Union Women and Child Development Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in her recent interaction with the institutions associated with the Ministry, had urged that the activists should establish connect to send message of solidarity with the distressed women and children.
The Gender rights activists have always called for the need to boost help lines so that women in distress have easy access for redressal. Accordingly the Union and State governments have put in place a dedicated helpline 181 for addressing all the complaints of women as a one stop centre. The women and children are forced to stay indoors and hence the incidents of abuse also have gone up. The National Commission for Women  too has taken note of this sudden rise in Domestic violence in the first week of lock down and have ordered the law implementing stories to redress them immediately . Alternatively, in April 2020, the NCW had also launched a special whatsapp alert helpline 7217735372 through which anyone can report the incidents of domestic violence immediately . As per the NCW website, the total complaints received in this financial year are 5187 and from Tamil Nadu, 35 complaints have been registered under Protection of women against Domestic Violence act.
Thiru M. Ravi IPS Additional Director General of Police who heads the special wing for crimes against women while giving the feedback to Field Outreach Bureau, Coimbatore said the state police department is serving the people round the Clock 24x7 and complaints from women are immediately responded.
In Coimbatore, the District administration, Social welfare department and Police Department are working together for providing necessary assistance to women in distress. District Collector Thiru. Rajamani said the help line number 181 has emerged as a One Stop Centre  for women in distress. It is ensured that a woman need not reach out to multiple sources to get assistance as they were doing earlier. Victims of Violence are provided shelter along with legal medical assistance and Counselling. Women are approaching the social welfare department for counselling and all the details of the women will be kept confidentially.
Dr A. Alagarsamy appreciated the initiatives of Ministry of Women and Child Development and the role played by NCW in taking up the cases of women injustice proactively.
Advocate Harish Kumar from Coimbatore appreciated NCW and said it is a great initiative to open a whatsapp helpline against Gender abuse and domestic violence . The whatsapp helpline number by NCW 7217735372 need to be given wide publicity, he added. He requested all the Educational institutions and social welfare organizations should popularise both 181 and whatsapp numbers so that women in distress utilize these effectively and get their complaints redressed.
District Collector Tr.Rajamani reviewing the status of complaints
ADGP Thiru. Ravi says complaints from women are immediately responded
Advocate Harishkumar welcomed the NCW whatsup initiative
Counselling session in progress
Logo of 181
(