Reach out to supportive family to deal with domestic violence, says Dr Nayreen Daruwalla

Dr Daruwalla talks about how women are finding it difficult to call the helpline especially when the abusive family members are at home sharing the same space

Dr Nayreen Daruwalla, director, Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action (Sneha) a non-governmental organisation that works on programmes on prevention of violence against women and children, talks to HT about how women are finding it difficult to call the helpline especially when the abusive family members are at home sharing the same space.

Dr Nayreen Daruwalla, director, Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action (Sneha).(HT/PHOTO)

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has claimed that distress calls of domestic abuse victims have increased sharply in the lockdown period. Has your helpline also seen a similar surge during the lockdown?

Women approach our counselling centres through three main mediums; physically access the counselling centre, crisis helpline and crisis email. On an average, Sneha counselling centres register around 400 cases monthly, including women and children, and around 4,800 cases are registered annually. The Covid-19 situation has restricted women’s mobility in terms of reporting of cases.

In March 2020, the counselling centres registered 513 cases, out of which 177 survivors (37%) were provided initial support, psycho education, and referral to the police and counselling on the helpline.

In the normal situation, the counselling centres receive about 100 calls on the helpline every month and around 10 crisis emails requesting assistance. During the pandemic, from mid-March to mid-April 2020, Sneha has received 45 crisis emails (32 from Mumbai and 13 from elsewhere in India).

At the same time, calls on the helpline have fallen from 100 to 56 as survivors are finding it difficult to call, especially when the abusive family members are at home sharing the same space.

Can you give us an idea of what some of the calls have been like?

Survivors have requested help as they are facing physical, emotional, verbal and sexual violence in their natal and matrimonial homes.

How does the helpline help women in distress? Has your approach in helping them changed during the lockdown?

Yes, the counselling is done over the phone when the survivor is in a position to talk in privacy. Appointments are given to them. The survivors are asked to call the counsellors when they find a private moment. With our 20 years of experience in networking with public systems, the counsellors are in a position to connect the woman with the police or protection officer in the area where the survivor resides.

What advice would you give women who are stuck in homes with their abusers?

At this point of exacerbated vulnerability of women in their homes, it would be best to for them to follow these steps:

-Reach out to supportive family and friends who can help with immediate solutions as well as coping with stress

-Develop a safety plan for them and their children with the help of neighbours, friends or relatives

-Collect important documents, money and few personal things in case the woman needs to leave.

-Plan carefully on the phone the exit with a family member, friend or relative to access transportation help by contacting the nearby police station

-Gather information on women’s helplines, NGOs providing support services on violence, shelter and police protection.