Karimnagar Sakhi Centre caring for women in need for years

Karimnagar: Central and State governments are working hard to prevent harassment of girls and women in Karimnagar.

The Sakhi Centre ensures that the affected women get immediate medical treatment, justice and shelter

A domestic violence counseling centre has been available in the district since 2009 under the auspices of the Women Development and Child Welfare Department. It changed into Sakhi Centre in 2015. Till 2017, the centre was run in the Government Hospital and now it is being run in rented house. Soon it will be shifted to a permanent building under construction in Saptagiri Colony.

The responsibilities of District Sakhi Centre have been handed over to 'Bhumika' NGO. Sakhi Centre specialises in providing all necessary assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse, trafficking, rape, acid attacks, child marriage and others.

In some cases, temporary accommodation is provided at the Sakhi centre for women who are suddenly forced to leave their homes. They will be given a kit with new clothes, towel, brush, soap and other necessary items. Medical services to those who need them, registration of cases, compensation, registration of FIR at police station and others are provided free of cost.

The Sakhi centre has an administrator, a legal counsellor for legal advice, two social counsellors to provide mental stability and courage, para-medical staff to provide medical services, fourth class employees and security guards. If information is received from anywhere in the district that they are in danger, the Sakhi vehicle is always available to help and rescue them.

In the past, one had to go to a different place for each problem. At present, all the problems are solved in the Sakhi Centre One Stop Centre. Wide publicity is being given on the services offered here. Women in distress can knock on Sakhi's door at any time of the day by contacting the numbers 63027 10901, 0878- 2954644, 2244644. Sakhi is ready to provide police, legal and medical facilities to them while keeping the details of the case confidential.

Legal Counselor M Sandhyarani told The Hans India that the staff at the centre will try to solve problems by counseling the women as much as possible, in case of necessity residential custodial relief, protection order, maintenance and the property cases will help them legally.