Shun fear, move freely, DGP D Goutam Sawang tells women in Amaravati

Amaravati: Director general of police (DGP) D Goutam Sawang said that the women should move freely outside during night time also. He addressed the gathering at the culmination event for Community-led Action Programme by Police (CLAPP), organised in association with Vasavya Mahila Mandali here on Wednesday. The International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (CPVC), and the US Consulate General at Hyderabad jointly organised the valedictory for the year-long CLAPP project aimed at addressing sexual harassment of women in public places.

The DGP called upon the women to move outside on the streets without any fear and stressed the need to avoid discrimination against women in society. He lamented that the society treats women differently right from the birth. He also said that the establishment of Mahila Mitras brought major changes in the scenario.

Expressing satisfaction over the functioning of police department, Sawang said that previously the people used to get scared to visit the police station. Now the society witnessed new changes with progressive thinking, he said. "The changes would not come overnight and it takes some time," he said and asked the people to change their attitude first instead of thinking of changes in society.

Commissioner of police Dwaraka Tirumala Rao and John Drew Giblin, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate General Hyderabad, were present. This is the second iteration of CLAPP with the first being conducted in Hyderabad. Both projects were supported by the US Consulate General Hyderabad.