Helplines for women in distress, NGO details, where to complain about dowry harrassment and more.
What are the helplines for women in distress?
Vanitha Sahayavani initiated by the Bangalore police force helps women in distress, provides them counselling, helps them with short stay home facilities and rehabilitation. The helpline, in particular, comes to the rescue of women with marital problems or property disputes. Call 1091.
Ashraya Women's Centre, Indiranagar is for women who have been physically and mentally abused and to those who have been abandoned. The organisation provides shelter, counselling, legal-aid and vocational training. Ph: 25251929. .
Which are the NGOs working for women in Bangalore?
Stree Jagruthi Samithi focuses on the rights of domestic workers. They work for labour rights, fair treatment and essential benefits of domestic workers. They are located at 1863, South End C Cross, 9th Block, Jayanagar. Ph: 22734956 .
SICHREM (South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring) in Lingarajapuram fights for human rights for the disempowered including women. Ph: 25473922/25492856.
Campaign and Struggle against Acid Attacks in Women, BTM Layout can be reached at 9448046252 or 9448444254.
How do I complain against dowry harassment?
Demanding and giving dowry, itself, is regarded as a punishable offence under the Dowry Prohibition Act (1961). If harassment for dowry occurs after the marriage, the woman can file a case under IPC Section 498A and can result in an imprisonment of up to three years.
Vimochana, based in Marutiseva Nagar, is a forum for women's rights, issues like marital violence and dowry harassment. Ph: 2549 2781/2549 2783. .
Mahila Dahkshata Samiti, AECS Layout also helps dowry victims to start over. They provide short stay homes and provides vocational training. Ph: 23512543.
Can I complain against domestic violence?
Section 498A that includes dowry harassment law is applied to domestic violence as well. Here, the man can be booked if he indulges in physical violence, denies the woman food, behave in a perverse manner, locks the woman out of the house regularly or confines the woman to the four walls of the house, denies that the children are his own, etc. If the man is proven guilty, he can face imprisonment of up to three years. The FIR need not be filed by the victim alone but also by a close relative of the victim. Human Rights Law Network, Bangalore provides legal help. Ph: 65624757.
Do women have special rights when under arrest?
According to the law, women can refuse arrest between 6 pm to 6 am even if the police have a warrant. When the arrest takes place, it has to be done in the presence of a female officer and the woman must be lodged in a separate lock-up where no male suspects are kept.
Are there any laws against eve-teasing?
If you are a victim of eve-teasing, you can evoke Section 298(A) and (B) of the Indian Penal Code. This law states that a man guilty of making obscene gestures, remarks, songs or recitation towards a woman can be jailed for up to 3 months. Other laws include, Section 192 of the IPC where showing a woman pornographic or obscene pictures, books or slips can lead to a fine of Rs 2000 along with two years in jail for first time offenders or five years in jail if the offence is a repeated one. And under Section 509, any obscene gestures or comments or indecent language aimed at a woman can result in a year of rigourous imprisonment or a fine or both. Blank Noise is a project to fight this evil.
What do I do if I am being sexually harassed at the workplace?
In 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that "unwelcome sexual advances, the request for sexual favours and other verbal and physical conduct with sexual overtones" come under the gamut of sexual harassment and is punishable. Make a formal complaint to the authorities (both the police and higher authorities at the workplace) and you will be provided with the option of obtaining a transfer for yourself or for the accused. Supreme Court guidelines impose an obligation on the employer to set up a Complaints Committee, which should be headed by a woman, have half its members as women, include a thirdparty representative from an NGO.
Which are the support groups and networking forums for career women?
AWAKE or Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka started off in 1983 and has been dedicated to Entrepreneurship development since then. It is wholly run by women entrepreneurs who help nurture the talents, ideas and ventures of other women with counselling, training and by imparting their experience and knowledge. Ph: 23389964 / 23111059 / 23385874.
TiE Women was launched in 2005 to help women better their businesses or improve their contributions to the company that they worked for. It has been pushing women bring about and manage change and create a congenial environment that facilitates their growth as leaders and entrepreneurs. Ph: 4147 4567/69
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sir
i was in a govt hospital the other day. a woman from not well-off background was admitted for burns. yes, from the stove bursting while she was cooking.
and there was no sign of husband or her in-laws.
the police was called and the constable lady took the statement from the woman. or she tried to. the woman was in too much pain and slipping in and out of consciousness to talk much.
all the constable lady could do was get the woman's signature on a blank piece of paper.
the neighbours who admitted her swear that it was dowry harrassment. the husband and in-laws were always torturing her to bring more money. and when her parents refused, they burned her.
the woman died a few hours later.
her parents cried and then consoled themselves that it is all the woman's fate.
her neighbours felt sad and consoled the woman's family.
her husband and in-laws were not there at all.
the constable lady was happy she had the signature on a blank paper.
so you think a complaint against the dowry act or domestic violence act was registered?
no.
you see it is the woman's fate that she die like this.
that is the reality sir.
when you talk about scrapping dowry act and that women misusing them - i want you to think of that died woman.
and then again think - what if the woman survived and she wanted justice.
that is why we have dowry act.
there are genuine cases. much of the genuine cases never get filed. and some of them that get filed do not see the end because of various other pressures.
Sir,
Whom should we contact if a woman is harassed under the name of custom and religion?? Will that come under mental harassement?? Please respond to this...
I am working for a nationalised Bank. Two days back I had a rift with a customer who used abusive and vulgar language, by which I was terribly shocked. When one of my colleagues asked him not to speak in that way with ladies, he replied that if they are ladies they should stay back at home looking after their family and those who come out for work have no dignity at all.
I want that man to be punished. I cannot get the support from the Bank since according to Bank policy, customer is always right. Can U help me? I am very much disturbed
Please visit website and support my cause in seeking justice for Margaret - www.avadhani.info
your support and feedback will be highly appreciated!
Best Regards,
Kashyap
Sir,
my friends daughter is with her husband,she has a troubled marriage and left her house.now he is not letting her daughter to meet her and she wants to get back her daughter,which organisation should she contact?please suggest and help
sir,
i am an BE student i am harshed by some guy since from my 1st PUC.he follows me every day.on 7/1/2013 at 1AM he has poured some black paint on our walls,threw our shoes n slipers on roads,destroyed our plant.te same thing was repeted on 18/1/2013.on 31/1/2013 at 9 pm he broke our glass window by throwing stones.
we complained regarding this to police station.there was no action.again on this issue we complained after tat a constable visited my home on 8/2/2013 n he says these days girls play in mens life,u might have done some thing to him n tat is y he is harshing u.
Now entire senario depict as though i have done some thing wrong to him.
plz i need support.which organisation should i contact>plz suggest n help..
Does anything gets covered at the name of Indian culture and religion as mental Harassment? Also is the laws valid for mother -in law as well?
Hi,
one guy is torturing and harassing me alot he has even created some fake marriage certificates of ours but he is married before and has a kid also i don wanna be wid him.... i just want any women's association to help and support me up...... plz suggest n help me
Hi,
I am working in Software Company and my husband is an Auto driver.
Ours is a love cum arrange marriage.
Before marriage he used to ask me money telling that he will return that money and he used to give some reasons. Somehow he used to force me to give money. I used to give him money thinking that he will give back.
Now after marriage he cultivated the same attitude and every month he started forcing me to give money.
We had big- big fights and even my parents and his parents know these things.
I am staying in my mother’s house due to maternity; I have one year 3months old girl baby kid. He is not staying with us, but he comes to our house to see kid.
But again he started to give the same torcher, twice in a month he comes and asks for my salary or money.
Few times he says he will do something wrong to my parents and sisters.
I am afraid to reach police, because by complain to police he may create a problem to me, my parents and daughter.
And more over his brother is into Kannada Rakshna Vedhaka Sanaga. And he has his own group. I am afraid they may create a problem to me and my family.
So I am worried by all these things.
How to solve this problem?
Can anyone help from this situation?
Please help me.
Thanks!!!
Hi,
You need to go for counselling. Don't get bothered for threatening. you need to decide more on relationship make-up or break-up. Rest of the things will fall in its place.
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Dear Navya,
What about Helpline for Men sufferring in the hands of their wife. When are you going to stop these biased and baseless articles becuase of lakhs of Innocent husbands and family members are sufferring because of these biased and baseless laws like 498a and d.v.
People like you suggest encourage use of 498a against husband and his entire family ..in that case who would help mother and sister of husband who are also women and innocent. becuase of one crucid woman and biased laws.. atleast 2 to 3 women are arrested. who is responsible for this. pls stop this.