Bihar: Counselling centre for women victims of crime in police headquarters

Official said that several cases involving women could be solved by addressing some misunderstandings or basic behavioural issue.

The victims of crime against women in Bihar will be able to avail counselling at the police headquarter in Patna. The centre was launched in collaboration with the Bihar state women development corporation (WDC), a wing of the social welfare department.

The center will also provide professional counselling to women victims. (Pixabay)

It will be housed at the weaker section wing, CID at Police Bhawan, and will also offer legal and other professional counselling apart from general trauma counselling. Till recently, the victims could only register police complaints at the police headquarter.

“Earlier, victims who needed this facility were referred to the police stations in the district where a special cell with professional counsellors for women already exists. Now, that the police headquarter, too, has developed this facility, things can be sorted out here. Women victims need not bother visiting other places for this purpose,” said Jitendra Kumar, ADG, police headquarter.

Official said that several cases involving women could be solved by addressing some misunderstandings or basic behavioural issue. “The counselling is intended to explain the things in right perspective and end the deadlock,” he said.

Poonam Kumari, an official from the WDC, said altogether 23 police stations in Patna district have special cells, which have been offering counselling facility to the victims. “The WDC has a panel of professional counsellors who are working at these cells. Often women approach them for problems like domestic violence or violation of property rights or physical and mental torture by the family,” she said.