Lok Sabha Question No. 3373 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-05
Subject: Complaints through Women Helpline
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Sunita Duggal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 3373

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2022

## COMPLAINTS THROUGH WOMEN HELPLINE

## 3373.   SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  complaints  received  specifically  relating  to  harassment  of  women  at workplace through Women Helpline, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether  any  stringent  action  had  been  taken  and  fine  or  penalty  imposed  on  the organizations/employer in this regard;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether victims of domestic abuse were directed for appropriate counseling services or shelter homes and if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (c): The component of Women Helpline under 'Sambal' sub-scheme of umbrella scheme 'Mission  Shakti'  aims  to  provide  24  hours  emergency  and  non-emergency  response  through telephonic  short-code  181  to  women,  both  in  public  and  private  spaces  by  linking  them  with appropriate authorities such as Police, One Stop Centres, hospitals, Legal Services Authorities etc.  Women  Help  Lines  (WHL)  also  support  women  in  distress  with  counseling  services  in addition  to  providing  information  about  women  welfare  schemes  and  programs  across  the country.

Presently, WHLs is functional in 34 States/ UTs. As per information received from States / UTs, till March, 2022, over 70.00 lakh calls have been handled by 181- WHL across the country. The WHL scheme is not functional in West Bengal and Puducherry.

The  number  of  calls  received  at  Women  Helplines,  State/UT-wise  since  inception  till  March, 2022, is at Annexure. Further, Section 23 of 'the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,  Prohibition  and  Redressal)  Act  2013'  provides  that  it  is  the  responsibility  of  the appropriate  Government  to  monitor  the  implementation  of  this  Act  and  to  maintain  data  on number  of  cases  filed  and  disposed  of  in  respect  of  all  cases  of  sexual  harassment  at workplace.  As  such,  maintaining  the  details  of  the  complaints  filed,  action  taken  and  fine  or penalty  imposed  on  the  organizations  /employer  etc.  is  the  responsibility  of  the  concerned authorities under the appropriate Government, i.e., Central or State Government in relation to workplaces falling within their respective jurisdiction.

(d): The victims of domestic abuse are referred to One Stop Centres or Shakti Sadan (erstwhile Swadhar  Greh)  by  the  Women  Helpline,  where  they  are  provided  support  and  assistance, including shelter and counseling services.

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## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a)  to  (c)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 3373 FOR ANSWER ON 05.08.2022 ASKED BY SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL REGARDING 'COMPLAINTS THROUGH WOMEN HELPLINE'

State-wise details of calls received through Women Helpline since inception to till March, 2022, State/UT-wise

| Sl. No.       | State / UT                               | Total Calls   |
|---------------|------------------------------------------|---------------|
| 1             | Andaman and Nicobar Islands              | 1539          |
| 2             | Andhra Pradesh                           | 931396        |
| 3             | Arunachal Pradesh                        | 7309          |
| 4             | Assam                                    | 157811        |
| 5             | Bihar                                    | 244803        |
| 6             | Chandigarh                               | 74507         |
| 7             | Chattishgarh                             | 81263         |
| 8             | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 528           |
| 9             | Delhi                                    | 1121711       |
| 10            | Goa                                      | 18383         |
| 11            | Gujarat                                  | 1004258       |
| 12            | Haryana                                  | 43208         |
| 13            | Himachal Pradesh                         | 4663          |
| 14*           | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh             | 126457        |
| 15            | Jharkhand                                | 464151        |
| 16            | Karnataka                                | 26184         |
| 17            | Kerala                                   | 113885        |
| 18            | Lakshadweep                              | 0             |
| 19            | Madhya Pradesh                           | 194616        |
| 20            | Maharashtra                              | 295424        |
| 21            | Manipur                                  | 768           |
| 22            | Meghalaya                                | 30898         |
| 23            | Mizoram                                  | 11044         |
| 24            | Nagaland                                 | 2290          |
| 25            | Odisha                                   | 76058         |
| 26            | Puducherry **                            | 0             |
| 27            | Punjab                                   | 1053006       |
| 28            | Rajasthan                                | 25531         |
| 29            | Sikkim                                   | 314           |
| 30            | Tamil Nadu                               | 256412        |
| 31            | Telangana                                | 89843         |
| 32            | Tripura                                  | 59            |
| 33            | Uttar Pradesh                            | 553667        |
| 34            | Uttarakhand                              | 5939          |
| 35            | West Bengal**                            | 0             |
| TOTAL 7017925 | TOTAL 7017925                            | TOTAL 7017925 |