Haryana to have one-stop centres for violence-affected women

Chandigarh June 27 (IANS) With the aim to provide assistance and support to women victims of any kind of violence both in private and public places the Haryana government on Tuesday announced to set up One Stop Centres (OSCs) in 15 districts.

Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain said here that nearly Rs 21 crore would be spent on the construction of these centres under the Swarn Jayanti Programme.

These will support women affected by violence in private and public spaces within the family community and at workplace. Women facing physical sexual emotional psychological and economic abuse irrespective of age class caste education status marital status and race and culture will be provided support and redressal he said.

Aggrieved women facing any kind of violence due to attempted sexual harassment sexual assault domestic violence trafficking honour-related crimes acid attacks or witch-hunting who have reached out or been referred to the centre would be provided with specialised services the minister added.

The centres would be set up in the districts of Ambala Panchkula Kurukshetra Kaithal Yamunanagar Sirsa Fatehabad Jind Sonepat Panipat Rohtak Jhajjar Charkhi Dadri Palwal and Nuh.

Earlier such centres were set up in Karnal Hisar Bhiwani Rewari Narnaul Gurugram and Faridabad districts.

Jain said in order to support girls below 18 years of age institutions and authorities established under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 would be linked with these centres.

Each centre would be integrated with a Women Helpline to provide a range of services including medical assistance like referral to hospital through helpline or centre police assistance like facilitating or assisting in filing FIRs psycho-social support or counselling legal aid or counselling shelter and video conferencing facility Jain said.

--IANS
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