SHILLONG, DEC 15: North East Network chairperson Darilyn Syiem said that different forms of violence are affecting the health of women and felt that the issue needs the attention of the government by providing adequate support system within the hospitals.
“Support systems for survivors of different kinds of violence is required to be set up within the hospital itself, as it can to a great extent provide the much needed help in term of counselling and psychological to the victims,” Syiem told reporters during a news conference on Monday.
Iohlynti, a support centre for women set up by the NEN in Ganesh Das hospital, is the first one-stop crises centre in the north east region, Syiem informed.
Earlier, the centre started its services in Shillong Civil hospital in 2011 and recently decided to shift to Ganesh Das in September this year.
According to Syiem even the World Health Organization (WHO) has in its recommendation recognized that violence against women has become a major global health issue.
“Setting up of the centre by NEN within the hospital is very much in line with WHO recommendations,” Syiem said adding “This is to make the need for such counselling accessible to women who are in need of help.”
Following the 2012 Delhi rape case, the Government of India has also decided to set up the one-stop-crises-centre in all the districts across the country.
On this, Syiem, however, said, “Such centres proposed by the central government are not within the hospitals,” adding “Based on our experiences, if such centres are to locate outside the hospitals, it will only discourage the women from coming forward due to many reasons.”
A total of 133 reported cases of violence against women have been taken up by the Iohlynti centre since 2011 till now.
Of the total cases, 110 are domestic violence, 16 – sexual assault (rape), 4 – attempted suicide and 3 – substance abuse, Syiem said adding the cases are quite less due to the fact there is still lack of awareness about the services by the centre.
Syiem further informed that the centre is also playing a pro active role by providing training to doctors from the different districts of the state so that they become sensitive in handling such issues related to women.
“That is why many of the cases have been referred to the centre by the doctors as the advice from a doctor is very important,” Syiem said.
Syiem also informed that the organization is also providing legal help to such survivors adding such help is based on personal decision of the client after the counselling.- By Our Reporter
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