National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes information on crimes and suicides in its publications “Crime in India” and “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India”. The published reports are available till the year 2020. State-wise and year-wise total number of cases reported across the country is available on the website of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), https://ncrb.gov.in.
The psycho-social helpline of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) has a dedicated number for women and children. A dedicated team of doctors and counsellors at the Centre for Psycho-Social Support in Disaster Management (CPSSDM) at NIMHANS has been providing telephonic psychological counselling service through a toll-free number 08046110007 since March, 2020 as per the directions of the Government.
The calls received at psycho-social helpline of NIMHANS from women are mainly related to pre-existing mental health issues, neurological problems, medications, loss of livelihood, vaccination during pregnancy and lactation, menstruation, domestic abuse/ violence, substance use, treatment for husband/ son/ brother, fear and anxiety, panic attacks, availability of vaccination and certification, depression, loneliness and poor social support, poor concentration and inability to perform multiple chores like in the pre-pandemic period. The calls received from children are mainly related to excessive clinging to parents, behavioural disturbances – anger outbursts, increased fear of losing/ death of adults/ grandparents, increased use of mobile phone and loss of play activities in neighbourhood etc.
Further, “Police” and “Public Order” are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility to maintain law and order and for protection of life and property of the citizens including women, rests with the respective State Governments. The State governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of law. Nevertheless, in the wake of the Covid pandemic, the Central Government issued advisories to State Governments to keep operational and available all the institutions and facilities run under its schemes, such as One Stop Centres, Women Helpline and Child Help Line, Emergency Response Support System (112), Ujjawala Homes, Swadhar Grehs, Child Care Institutions, as well various statutory authorities under laws such as “The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005”, “The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961’, “The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006”, “The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015” etc. Further, the National Commission for Women and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights have also taken various measures to assist women and children since the first lockdown.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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