In 5 years, Anantnag records over 458 cases of crimes against women

Anantnag, Feb 10: in the last five years, the One Stop Centre (OSC), Anantnag has recorded over 458 cases of crimes against women, officials said.
According to data available with Rising Kashmir the nature of these cases primarily includes domestic violence, along with instances of cybercrime, maintenance disputes, missing persons, and abductions, among others.
The One Stop Centre (OSC) is a scheme aimed at supporting women affected by violence in both public and private spaces, including within the family, community, and workplace. It has been implemented since April 2015 under the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the country.
In Anantnag the OSC was established in the year 2018 and has been providing assistance to women affected by various forms of violence in the district. It is managed by a Coordinator and falls under the purview of the Social Welfare Department (SWD).
Shah Tajally, Centre Administrator Anantnag, told Rising Kashmir that they have been receiving women related cases of different nature, but domestic violence remains the most among other cases they receive.
“The district has witnessed 268 cases of domestic violence, followed by 70 maintenance cases, 38 cases of child marriage which were assisted via Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and 35 cases related to cybercrime or unwanted calls,” she said, adding that other cases include labour disputes, quarrels, mental torture, murder, fraud, cheating, child custody battles, and property disputes.
She said, fortunately, there were no reported cases of rape, or sexual harassment during this period. Some survivors directly approached the OSC, while others were referred from the 181 women’s helpline. Several cases were resolved with the assistance of the court and police.
She said, women’s helpline 181 offers 24-hour emergency services to women affected by violence, connecting them with appropriate authorities such as the police and the One Stop Centre. Additionally, the helpline provides information about government schemes and programs related to women.
“We have successfully provided psychosocial support and counselling to 250 cases that were resolved. Additionally, we offered legal aid, medical assistance, police support, and shelter to numerous cases,” Tajally added.
The centre has effectively resolved over 400 out of the 458 cases it received. Moreover, the women’s helpline (181) has referred over 100 cases to the OSC in Anantnag for further assistance.
Muzaffar Ahmad, District Social Welfare Officer in Anantnag, who also serves as a nodal officer, said that women-centric schemes, including the OSC, are designed to provide assistance to women in distress.