CUTTACK: Not every woman, be it a victim of domestic violence or harassment, has the courage or the resources to enter into a litigation. And even if they do, many need help with legal aid, counselling and reconciliation.
A women support centre in Cuttack - Maadhyam - has been helping such women get justice, sometimes without them having to step into the corridors of a court.
A joint initiative of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police and Institute for Social Development (ISD), Maadhyam was launched in the Twin City in September, 2014. It is aimed at providing counselling support to women victims of physical and emotional violence, false promises of marriage, kidnapping and abduction, trafficking, cyber crime, voyeurism and domestic violence. Besides, it also extends legal, medical and rehabilitation support to the women victims. The centre also facilitates amicable settlement in many cases including matrimonial disputes, aiming for a harmonious living environment for both the parties involved.
Maadhyam’s counsellor Rosalin Sahoo said, while the concerned police station renders appropriate services to such women as per law, the centre provides counselling and other alternative support services in terms of legal aid and medical support.
In the last 11 years, the Cuttack centre has so far received 2,476 complaints of which, 1,628 have been resolved amicably through counselling of both the parties. This month alone, the centre received 161 complaints and 101 of them were resolved amicably by Maadhyam while 60 cases were registered by police.
“This reduces the pressure on the police and helps the women who do not want to get into litigation but seek justice,” said Sahoo. The centre usually summons both the parties and counsels them till they mutually agree to settle their dispute. In case of couples, after the settlement, the centre’s personnel make home visits to see if both the parties are abiding by the resolutions, she added.
Of the complaints being received, a majority pertain to domestic violence. A few others come to the centre with complaints of fraud, workplace harassment and sexual harassment since they do not want to get into litigations. But not every time, victims are women. There are men too, who are victims of harassment and domestic violence. “By working with police, Maadhyam has succeeded in settling many sensitive cases,” Sahoo said.