CCPO assures women of help against harassment

LAHORE : CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mahmood Dogar has assured the women community that the state and the police both are with them in case of any harassment and violence against them.

The Lahore police’s awareness campaign against harassment and violence against women entered in a second phase as CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mahmood Dogar led ‘Women Safety Awareness Walk against Harassment and Violence' at Liberty Chowk on Saturday.

Divisional SPs, SDPOs, SHOs, female community members from all sections of society, including lady officers and officials, of all the units of Lahore police, lady traffic wardens, teachers, students and civil society activists participated in the walk. The CCPO interacted with the females members of civil society, including working women, lecturers as well as students and advised them to adopt precautionary measures and particularly download Punjab Police’s 'Women Safety App' in their android phones to get immediate police help in case of any harassment or violence against them. There is option of location in the application and police will response and reach the victims within no time. While talking with the reporters, he said that the Lahore police’s awareness campaign was aimed at preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women which had alarmingly intensified in society for the last few days.

The CCPO said, “The main purpose of the 'Women Safety Awareness Walk against Harassment and Violence' was to sensitise people regarding sanctity and respect of women in society and to express solidarity with women, assuring them our full support against any sort of harassment and violence and to make female members of society aware of the importance of downloading 'Women Safety App' of Punjab Police in their android cellular phones so as to contact and get timely police help in case of any emergency situation.” He said that harassment and violence against women were devastating human right violations as these remained largely unreported in the past due to silence, stigma and shame attached with them. He said that it was necessary for the victims to raise their voice against any harassment or violence and get legal help to bring the perpetrators to justice, not only teaching the culprit a lesson but also act as a deterrent against them.

He said Lahore police was establishing ‘Women Anti-Harassment and Violence Cells’ at Defense Area (B) police station and Liberty Police Khidmat Markaz to ensure prompt support and redress of the grievances of affected women by registration of cases and investigation of crimes reported against women.

The female victim support officers will run these cells to provide timely response within 15 minutes to the received calls and extend full support to the aggrieved women from registration of FIRs to medical of victims, investigation process, hearing of cases in relevant courts and other related matters. Feedback of victims will also be ensured on all the process of assistance provided by Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells. Dedicated telephone lines will also be provided to the cells to ensure timely response. A dedicated helpline 1242 has also been established by Lahore police to redress the grievances of victims of harassment and violence, the CCPO concluded.