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Role of the Police

The collaboration of the Special Cell (as a field action project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences) and the Police system enriches the systemic response to the issue of violence against women, and enables the needs of the violated woman to be addressed holistically in the following ways':

  • the police system addresses the legal aspects; the Special Cell works with the psycho-social-legal aspects of the problem of violence against women.
  • the police system addresses the problem in the here and now; the Special Cell engages in problem-solving by taking into account the context and history of the violated women, and empowers her to take control over her life.
  • the police system accepts the woman's context of violence as a reality, and uses state power to discriminatorily repress/ protect; the Special Cell's work is focussed on bringing about change in the violated woman's position and situation, and it works on the basis of trust in the violated woman, with the aim of empowering her to protect herself and her rights.

Role of the Police: The support of the State Police is crucial to the success of the services. The Police System is the location from where the Socio-legal Services Unit (here-in-after called the Unit) will operate. The State Police are expected to facilitate the establishment of the pilot Socio-legal Services in the selected district place. They will provide the infrastructure and facilities such as physical space, furniture and facilities such as a telephone etc., as listed in the requirements for the Socio-legal Services. The State and District Police will ensure that the Socio-legal Services can function smoothly and the staff feel safe and secure while functioning through effective facilitation and monitoring mechanisms. The social workers in the Unit will report to the SHO/Police Station in-charge for their day to day work, and also to the Socio-legal Services' Coordinators for their overall functioning. The Police will also be a member of the Monitoring Committee established to oversee and facilitate the work of the Socio-legal Services. The Police will facilitate and cooperate to remove any difficulties being faced by social workers in discharging their job responsibilities.