Counselling cells for minor rape victims in Uttaranchal

The cells would include a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, a sociologist and a woman police officer.

Alarmed at the increasing number of sexual assaults on minors in the state, which stood at 36 in the past two years, the Uttaranchal Director General of Police has directed her department to set up counselling cells for such victims in all the districts of the state.

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According to Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal, "In the year 2005 where 16 rape cases were reported, this has gone up to 20 in 10 months this year." He said, "Looking into the increasing number of victims and the trauma they go through Uttaranchal DGP Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya has issued instructions to establish counselling cells in all the districts beginning from the state capital Dehradun".

The cell would include a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, a sociologist and a woman police officer which would not only give counselling to the victims and their family members to overcome the psychological trauma, but also knowledge about the criminal justice system.

Dr Veena Singh, a sociologist who had been contacted by the police for the counselling service, told that a rape incident with minors take place mostly in middle, lower middle and lower classes and in most of the cases the accused are known to the victims as this makes them easy targets. She said a lack of education, attitude towards the women were few of the reasons that leads to the conduct of such heinous crime. Psychological counselling helps in enhancing self-esteem and a sense of acceptance in victims and their family members, she added.