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ABSTRACT
The growing recognition of domestic violence
around the world calls for an effective criminal
justice response. In this context, police
departments are seeking to improve their services
to victims of domestic violence. The introduction
of All Women Police Stations (AWPSs) in Tamil Nadu
is one such a measure. Through a prestigious
Award, known as “Queens Award”, presented by
the Home Office, London, to the author a training
program on dispute resolution, which included
training in interviewing and recording data was
offered to 30 AWPS officers in 2002-2003. This
paper provides a description of the training
program and considers the implications for
statewide and nationwide implementation.
INTRODUCTION
Domestic violence is a hidden crime, often
considered as a private matter. This is because
many victims of domestic violence do not report
their victimization to others, such as parents,
friends, police or neighbors. Only when the
violence becomes intolerable do these victims seek
help from others. Until then they keep the abuse
secret and try to resolve the conflicts on their
own. Though the legal system provides ways to seek
divorce in situations of marital conflict, many
women in traditional societies, such as India,
still prefer to solve the conflict and retain
their marital status. However, increased awareness
of women's rights, and worldwide recognition of
the seriousness of domestic violence, has forced
criminal justice systems to take the problem more
seriously. The main problem they have faced is how
to persuade more women victims to report domestic
violence to the authorities especially the police.
According to a study many women in traditional
countries believe that reporting their problems to
the police will do little good and harm their
marital status. Specifically:
u
They are hesitant to talk to a male police officer
about their private problems.
u
They believe that male officers will not be
sympathetic because there is a general tendency
for
men to support one another; male officers are also
more likely to believe the man's story.
u
They believe male officers do not understand
women's psychology and the suffering resulting
from domestic violence.
u
They fear that the male police officers might take
sexual advantage of them.
u
They fear police intervention would make the
partner more violent.
u
They fear that if they report their husbands the
police will arrest them and they will be left on
their own.
In recognition of these problems, the Tamil Nadu
Government has taken some important initiatives.
In 2001, it spent crores of rupees to sensitize
80,000 male and 4,200 women police officers in
gender issues. The course syllabus included:
status of women in India especially in Tamil Nadu;
empowerment of women; civil, personal and criminal
law for women; understanding the trauma of women
victims; counseling techniques; personal dynamics
of women; human rights, family courts, child care
and juvenile justice system; role of forensic
science in crime investigation; anger/stress and
health management issues.A decade earlier the
government had introduced All Women Police
Stations (AWPSs), which it was thought would
encourage women victims to report the crimes
against them. According to a study, by bringing
petitioners together in a dialogue with the
perpetrators (husbands and in many instances the
in-laws) the women police in these stations have
the opportunity to evaluate the safety needs of
the women victims and can also refer the parties
to treatment and professional counseling if
needed. Further, they can get more information
about past episodes so as to make a more informed
diagnosis of the seriousness of the violence.
Allowing the parties to communicate with each
other can interrupt the cycle of violence and the
police can also empower women victims economically
by referring them to job training and educational
counseling.
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