Telangana Police to Establish Call Center for Women in Grief

Hyderabad: Continuing its efforts to ensure women's safety in the state, the Telangana Police will soon introduce another initiative to help women facing domestic violence.

Concerned about the increasing number of calls received by the police from women facing domestic violence, the Telangana Police Department's Women's Safety Wing (WSW) has decided to assist women in distress, including providing advice online.

After waving the whip against teasers through SHE teams regularly and initiating severe action against women who harass women via mobile phones, WSW has decided to start an app-based call centre to help women facing domestic violence.

The number of phone calls received by the department from such women increased after the lockdown was imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 during the second wave. Some women complained that their husbands beat them regularly, while others complained of the inconvenience created by their drunken husbands. There were also complaints against men forcibly expelling their wives from their homes.

"We are preparing the application in such a manner that a constant vigil will be maintained to assess whether proper guidance was given to the victim," she said, adding that it was only an added facility to help women. The WSW will first take up domestic violence cases on a pilot basis. Later, other problems, including dowry harassment and human trafficking, will also be dealt with.

"We will launch the facility shortly as we are presently working on technologies that are involved in it and also identify the partners who will do counselling in English, Telugu and Hindi as preferred by the victims," said Additional Director-General of Police Swati Lakra.