Anti-harassment, violence cell set up
Rawalpindi police have set up anti-harassment and violence cell to provide 24/7 service to women victims. The anti-harassment and violence cell has been set up at Women Police Station.
According to a spokesperson on Tuesday, four special desks have also been established at the cell. They include victim support, monitoring, investigation and prosecution and victim feedback and assistance desks.
The cell would deal with all the incidents of harassment and violence against women.
Lady police victim support officers have been appointed at all the police stations in Rawalpindi.
The safety and legal aid would be ensured for women at the, said Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Ahsan Younas.
Special female police officers have been appointed as ‘victim support officers’ at all police stations of Rawalpindi, who would help and assist the victims during the entire investigation process.
Investigation of registered cases would be directly supervised by senior officers to ensure the merit, the safety of the victims and make sure that the accused is awarded exemplary punishment as per law. The special desks would guide and assist the victims during different stages of the investigation and prosecution process accordingly.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation, Ghazanfar Ali Shah, would supervise the operations of the special cell, whereas Inspector Shahida Yasmin would be the overall in-charge of the cell.
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The CPO said that the safety of the women was the priority of Punjab police and it is the right of women to be protected at home, educational institutions, workplaces and markets and police would take all possible steps to ensure their safety and security.
The spokesperson said that the Rawalpindi district police in collaboration with Fatima Jinnah Women University has also organised a five-day workshop at Police Lines Headquarters to impart training to the lady victim support officers of anti-women harassment and violence cell.
He said that the workshop was being organised with an aim to impart training to the police officers and increase the awareness and capacity of the victim support officers for legal, social and psychological support of the affected women as per the requirements of modern times.
The lady victim support officers of all police stations of Rawalpindi and the victim support officer of the transgender protection centre were part of the workshop so that the best support and service delivery could be ensured to all the deprived and vulnerable sections of the society including women.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2021..