Women today are more open to discuss their problems: CP

The women of the city have gotten more aware and are stepping forward to express their consent and problems. Women have started to look out for themselves and are coming forward to sort out their problems, said Commissioner of Police(CP), Damodar Gowtham Sawang.

In conversation with The Hans India, the CP spoke about the efforts being made by the city cops to ensure protection for women in the city. “Though there is an increase in the number of aware women, we want to bring the same spirit in all the women of the city.

The ‘Chaitanya Mahila Samithi’ is one such initiative which is under the pipeline to help solve women issues with confidentiality while building confidence to overcome problematic situations. The samiti is our special initiative for the safety of women. It’s a kind of community participation of women, wherein each area of the city constitutes a group of members in the samiti who would locate and address women issues. Each group contains women activists and other prominent women with around 15-20 members. We don’t want to frame it or define it as a rule or act, it is a community that gives support and guides women to solve their issues. It is more likely to be executed by December,” the CP said.

Sawang said that women safety was the top priority to the police and strongly believes that women are much safer than ever. “Even more safety is assured to them and we are bringing initiatives like Chaitanya Mahila Samiti to ensure 100 percent safety. The capital is always ready to give them better space, better status and the best ever safety,” he added.

“We have strengthened the cyber crime cell and it’s working efficiently in solving cyber stalking. There were many cases such as photo morphing, blackmailing and many others were being addressed with utmost care and confidentiality. The physical stalking is also being controlled with the use of CC cameras.”

He further said that the city police were far better than before as they had gone though gender sensitisation programmes for more than six months. “Each and every police, including myself have attended the sessions and that has brought a change in attitude towards gender. Many people from women organisations, social activists and psychiatrists had come to guide us in these sessions and now we are better informed and are ready to take up woman issues with utmost care,” he said.

Referring to the increase in isolated areas under police jurisdiction after the city has been made capital, the CP said, “The police usually pays special attention to isolated and rural parts of the city. The safety of women is vulnerable in certain areas. To ensure complete safety, the women should step forward and come out of their traditional bounds and threats. We are here to support them, encourage them and also have created a friendly environment to make them feel comfortable,” the CP said.

Talking about how the cops planned to create happy and safe environment for women, he said, “Firstly the women should come out of their traditional mindsets and remember that women are no more the silent sufferers. Every issue of them was kept confidential with due respect. Most of them neither want to register a formal complaint nor have a legal process. We also take such cases and address them. Any complaint from the women would be addressed within six minutes,” he said.

When asked what message he would like to give for the city women, the CP said that the city police and the State government were quite sensitive to the women and their safety. Women should come forward, join hands and participate in bringing the change and blossom with cheers. They need to take a step further and bring a new energy to the city.

Kiranmai Tutika