Workshop for cops calls for implementation of anti-rape laws

An e-training workshop for police officers titled ‘Implementation of Anti-Rape Laws and Role of Police’ was held in the South Range by the Sindh police on Saturday.

Officials said that the workshop was organised by the Sindh police’s South Zone Karachi in collaboration with the ‘Law is my Protector’ social media series. The objective of the training was to strengthen police officers in enforcing the anti-rape laws effectively, maintaining confidentiality and providing expeditious justice to victims while ensuring their safety and that of their families and witnesses.

Zahida Perveen, SP Saddar and chief coordinator of the series, gave an overview of the current and future programmes planned. She particularly highlighted the increasing number of rape cases and the role of police in dealing with them.

Fouzia Tariq highlighted the achievements of the series in providing access to justice to victims of gender-based violence and child abuse. She gave a presentation on ‘Dealing with Rape Victims: Guidelines for Police Officers’.

She urged police officers to respect the dignity of rape victims and survivors, and maintain strict confidentiality and non-disclosure of their identities as required by law. She also urged officers not to upload any pictures, videos or copies of registered FIRs on social media.

She emphasised the need to train police officers, medico-legal officers and prosecutors to enable them to enforce the anti-rape laws effectively. She highlighted the need for expeditious conduct of medical examination of victims, collection of evidence and forensic analysis.

The guest speakers of the seminar were former federal minister for law, justice & human rights Barrister Shahida Jamil, former Sindh police chief Niaz Ahmed Siddiki, and SP Madadgar 15 Abdullah Memon of the Security & Emergency Services Division.

Barrister Shahida shed light on the problems faced by rape victims, and the need for the police to protect them from further abuse. She particularly highlighted the international standards and best practices in law enforcement.

SP Memon elucidated the role of Madadgar 15 in preventing sexual harassment and rape cases. He said that an app has been developed for the safety of victims of gender-based violence, urging everyone to download it and give it wide publicity so that everyone in need of police assistance can operate it in emergencies.

Siddiki gave a presentation on the implementation of anti-rape laws, asking police officers to implement them in letter and spirit. In his concluding address he lauded the services of the Sindh police officers and units collaborating with the series to enable quick access to justice for the victims of gender-based violence and child abuse through 15 and the relevant WhatsApp group.

In the end, Fouzia thanked Sindh police officers and institutional units for rendering selfless service to the community in preventing, detecting and prosecuting such heinous crimes. She also thanked senior police officers for their support to the ‘Law is my Protector’ social media series in redressing the grievances of victims expeditiously and bringing the perpetrators to justice.