BMC launches crisis intervention services to help women cope domestic violence

BMC launches 'Disha' crisis intervention services in maternity homes to help women affected by domestic violence with medical services and counseling.

Mumbai: In order to help women cope with the impact of domestic violence, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched crisis intervention services in all its maternity homes. The centre, which is named ‘Disha’, will help improve access to medical services for women near their homes.

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The centres are aimed at strengthening the community outreach and enhancing referral of women affected by violence- sexual and domestic.

“Disha will be well equipped to do primary screening as well as provide services for gender-based violence that includes counselling and provide referral services,” said Dr Dakhsa Shah, executive health officer, BMC, who added that it is an extension of the ‘Dilassa’ centres they are running in BMC hospitals.

“We are currently training and building capacities for front-line staff that will be engaged in gender-based violence. We will also have frontline workers- community health volunteers and ASHA workers -to strengthen community outreach and work on referrals to these centres. They will create awareness in the community about the sexual and domestic violence and services available,” said Dr Shah.

Currently, BMC hospitals run 12 Dilaasa centres and two one-stop centres which are hospital-based crisis intervention centres for women affected by gender-based violence.

“In hospitals, women suspected of gender-based violence are referred from various OPDs/IPDS to Dilaasa centres and some are directly brought by police under POCSO/medicolegal cases. They are screened and counselled by Dilaasa staff,” said Dr Shah.

In 2023, Dilaasa centres annually screened and counselled 15,406 women and 1251 children for gender-based violence. Out of the screened, 1,707 women (1291 for domestic violence and 824 for sexual violence) and 530 children affected with gender-based violence were registered at these centres. They were provided counselling support and need-based referral services such as medical aid, legal assistance and police assistance, said Dr Shah.

Domestic violence is the most pervasive form of violence against women. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 5 data shows that in urban India 24 % of married women have ever experienced spousal violence. Physical violence faced by pregnant women in urban areas has been seen as 2.5% of forever married women in the ages of 18-49 years as per NFHS-5. Over 77% of women choose not to report or talk about their experience of violence.

Welcoming the decision to start disha centres in maternity homes, Dr Avinash Desousa, past president of Bombay Psychiatric Society said, “Women generally do not open up to domestic violence. If they have injuries related to the violence, it is seen that they will visit the hospital but will not speak about the abuse. It is good to have a centre in public hospitals, maternity hospitals to pick up these cases, counsel and help,” he said.