BENGALURU: Now, Karnataka State Police will be teaching self-defence to young girls studying in schools and colleges across the state. This initiative will be done in association with the Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Women and Child Welfare along with the State police department.
The training, in the form of a module, will be funded by the Nirbhaya fund provided by the Union government.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Bhaskar Rao, Additional Director-General of Police (KSRP) said police personnel who are experts in martial arts, will go to the schools to teach self-defence to young girls. “It will be a capsule model. We are customising and designing it for young girls studying in schools, both private and government schools across the state.
This will be for a short-term,” he said. Union government has allotted funds to state government and funds will be given to Women and Child Welfare Department who will sponsor this programme, he said, adding that the initiative was expected to launch after Dasara.
Shruthi BC, mother of an eight-year-old girl welcomed the move. “We send our daughter to a private school where they teach Karate. There are many private schools which teach Karate as either optional modules or part of their curriculum. If police themselves are giving the training, it will boost people’s confidence and trust on policemen too. This is the need of the hour,” she said.
Experts and child rights activists also welcomed the move. Vasudev Sharma, Director, Child Right Trust, said: “This kind of training will build confidence among young girls. At the same time, there will be fear among people that girls can give a fitting response,’’ Sharma said.
The state government had constituted an expert committee on preventing sexual violence against women and children headed by MLC and senior Advocate V S Ugrappa which had given its recommendations to the government in March 2018. “The purpose of Nirbhaya fund is to give compensation to victims. I would request the government to not use it for this training. Priority should be given to victims,’’ Ugrappa said.