Police lay stress on gender sensitisation

Mahbubnagar: The Mahbubnagar police have embarked on the second phase of ‘Gender peace’ programme with an aim to sensitise the police force on gender-based violence in the district. The programme commenced by initiating dialogues with various stakeholders of the community and police on Thursday.

Highlights:

• gender-based crimes.to train constables in dealing with The police initiate the programme with an aim
• It is conducted in collaboration with a New Delhi- based organisation, People for Parity, that works on transforming gender- based beliefs and mindsets

As part of the programme (Gender Fellowship for constable officers), the constables handpicked from different police stations were given training on dealing with such issues. The programme was conducted in partnership with a New Delhi based organisation called ‘People for parity’ (PFP).

About 30 police constables attended the training programme.‘People for Parity’ is a youth led social change initiative that works to transform gendered mindsets and beliefs. In collaboration with Mahbubnagar police, the group conducted few workshops on gender and gender based violence last month as part of the first phase initiative in the district.

While talking about the initiative, Rema Rajeshwari, SP Mahbubnagar said, “Gender-based violence means to behave or act with people on the basis of their gender in a way which harms them physically, mentally, financially or sexually.”She said that there are many social beliefs and expectations associated with being a woman or man which create mental pressure on people.

“It is believed that men should take financial responsibility of the family and are identified by their work and employment which therefore leaves them mentally stressed if unemployed. Most of the people who commit suicide due to unemployment are also men. Similarly, women face many social expectations right from the childhood when they are told to know how to look or what clothes to wear.

On one hand they are taught to be attractive and on the other hand they are also taught to be embarrassed with their body. No such situation is left in which the women can accept self as she is,” she said.The SP said that the police being a visible arm of the government, have a greater responsibility to have empathy towards victims.

Practicing empathy is the biggest of skills that can be learned by police officers.She asked all the police officers to pledge against practices like sexist interrogation and moral judgements on survivors, trivialisation of domestic violence and other forms of crime against women(CAW), letting of male offenders easily in cases of CAW like eve-teasing, stalking, cyber crime, not providing required information about rights and support services to the survivor.

During the programme, the police officers were trained to be sensitive while dealing with different kinds of gender-based violence and also interacted with auto driver unions, boys and girls from MVS colleges, a group of men from Marikal. They also attended a citizen engagement session on gender sensitivity at Devarkadra and Narayanpeta