India - All-Women Police Stations Address Domestic Violence

All-Women Police Stations - Addressing Domestic Violence in India

An interview with Dr. Prasanna Poornachandra, Criminologist, Founder
Trustee and CEO of the International Foundation for Crime Prevention and
Victim Care in Chennai, India, about working with all-women police stations
to support survivors of domestic violence.

By Rochelle Jones - AWID

AWID: You have been instrumental in establishing over 200 women's police
stations in your home state of Tamilnadu, India. Tell us about the need for
these women's police stations, and the role they play in domestic violence.

Prasanna Poornachandra: PCVC has been instrumental not in the establishment
of these police stations but in training them in gender sensitization. The
first women police station was started in the year 1991 in Chennai. The
government, then headed by a woman chief minister, felt the need for an all
women police station/anti dowry cell (AWPS). The main purpose was to make it
easy and comfortable for women to approach the police station with their
problems at home and talk to a woman police officer. Now there are more
than 200 women police stations in the state, each of them getting an
average of 1000-1500 cases every year.

Problems range from the husband not giving enough money to run the home,
alcoholism, having a mistress, not coming home, not taking her out, beating
her black and blue, locking her up at home, to, demand for dowry, harassment
by in laws, taking away her salary, her children, pouring hot coffee or
boiling water on her, pouring acid or setting her on fire, and more.

The women police play a major role in settling domestic violence disputes.
They, when the case is within settlement boundaries use mediation
techniques to bring about a compromise. In severe cases, they file a
criminal case of dowry harassment or cruelty by husband and/or in-laws.


AWID: If a woman is a victim of domestic violence and goes to her local
women's police station for help, what happens?

PP: When a woman victim of violence goes to the police station, she relates
her case to the officer and the officer summons the spouse and/or in laws
for questioning. The complaint the woman victim gives is taken as a
petition. The husband and others are informed of the complaint. Most often
they try and defend themselves or blame the victim. The woman officer,
based on the nature of the case and her judgment of the case, brings about
a compromise or files a case. At times, she warns the husband to behave
himself and take care of his wife and children. The woman victim can insist
that a criminal complaint be lodged.

AWID: Has the establishment of the police stations impacted on the number
of domestic violence incidents in Tamilnadu compared to other states, or do
they primarily focus on providing a more appropriate context for women to
come forward?

PP: The number of cases that have come forward have increased in the past
years because of the presence of these stations. The prevalence is the same
all over the country, but the establishment of these stations in Tamilnadu
has certainly led to high incidence of reporting of such cases. The women
feel it is much better to approach an all women's police station than a
men's police station with her problem.

AWID: In concert with the women's police stations, your organisation, the
International Foundation for Crime Prevention & Victim Care (PCVC)
works directly with survivors of domestic violence. Tell us about PCVC's
work with survivors of DV.

PP: International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC) is
a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Chennai. The
organization was established in December 2000 by three women from the
fields of criminology, criminal justice sciences and psychology and was
registered in January 2001.

>From just offering victim assistance by networking and referrals, PCVC
has broadened its work to include crisis management, advocacy and support
services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse and community
outreach on all forms of violence against women, men and children.

On Friday the 13th May, 2005, Amudha a central government employee was
brutally stabbed by her husband, in broad daylight in Ashok Nagar. Two days
later, 15th May, Saroja, a housemaid was chased on the streets of Mylapore,
again in broad daylight, and thrashed by her husband. She struggled for
life for 5 days and passed away at the General Hospital on 20th May, 2005.
Her husband, an alcoholic, was said to have stated that he hit her everyday
but didn't know that she would die this time.

These are two stories of women who have been violently murdered by their
partners. There are many more such instances that perhaps do not come to
light, where help and aid, could save a life.

PCVC, initiated a program, UDHAYAM - A PCVC Community Support Unit (Help
Line: 9840766666) on August 3, 2005, and was inaugurated at the Annanagar
Police Station in Chennai. After an evaluation at the end of 12 months, the
project will expand to include other stations in the city. The key objective
of Udhayam is to add on PCVCs services to police endeavours to reach out to
domestic violence victims and help them avail of recourse and relief.

PCVC co-ordinators are available at the Police Station to give information
on support services offered by the organisation and provide referrals to
other NGOs. The campaign aims at creating awareness among all sections and
age groups of the community, on violence-free, healthy and safe
relationships. Along with the police, the organization addresses this issue
among local schools, colleges, clubs, residential welfare associations, and
network with neighbourhood newspapers, shops and businesses of the
locality.

It is 10 months since the project has started and this coordinated approach
has shown an increase in the dispersal of victim support services, a
reduction in secondary victimization and a reduction in repeat cases.

AWID: During your recent tour to Australia, you visited some remote
Indigenous communities where domestic violence is rife. Indigenous Women in
Australia don't focus on the gendered nature of this type of violence,
referring to it as "family violence", even though most victims are women
and perpetrators men. What is your opinion of this approach and do you see
parallels in the Indian context, given that a majority of violence and abuse
comes from female perpetrators within the family?

PP: Yes, there are some parallels in the Indian context. The philosophy of
keeping the family together no matter what, is still in vogue in India, and
even though men are perpetrators there are women too. Mother and sister in
laws are at times involved in the violence or instigate the violence. The
abuse takes the same pattern as with male perpetrators. There is demand for
dowry, and if it's not met, the woman is tortured and at times even denied
food and kept away from her husband. It is interesting to note that at
times it is not the husband who is the perpetrator but the in-laws, and the
husband is a silent spectator.

A parallel can also be drawn between the Indian and the indigenous
communities when it comes to reconciliation using mediation techniques or
the traditional, what we call the 'panchayat' model.

AWID: As a criminologist and Founder Trustee and CEO of PCVC, do you
believe that cleaning up corruption within the police forces, and educating
the police about domestic violence is just as important as preventive
strategies that target cultural change?

PP: Definitely yes, preventing secondary victimization should be part of
the strategy, and it is possible. Our coordinated program with the police
has brought about a tremendous change in the way cases are handled. Now
that the women police know that victim support services are available and
are successful and it is possible for an abusive woman to survive out of
the abusive home, they are able to offer her more options.

A traditional teaching method might to be effective in bringing about this
learning or creating an awareness among the women police. Out in the field,
projects like ours will definitely bring about more learning and awareness.
There is no opportunity for corruption and the victims obviously feel no
need to offer bribes.

For more information, contact Dr. Poornachandra at: