Police to set up 'Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells' across Punjab

LAHORE: In the wake of recent harassment and assault cases against women, the Punjab police have decided to set up "Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells" to ensure prompt registration of cases besides ensuring investigations of merit.

Addressing a video-link conference at the central Police Office (CPO) on Monday, Punjab IGP Inam Ghani directed all the Regional Police Officers (RPOs) to ensure establishments of the Anti-Women Harassment and Violence Cells across Punjab within a week and launch a full-fledged public awareness campaign in this regard.

He said that prompt registration of cases and investigation on merit in every crime reported against women would be ensured through these special cells.

He said that DIG Operations Punjab would closely monitor the establishment of these cells in all districts of the province within the stipulated timeline while the DIG Investigation Punjab would monitor every case registered in these cells and also focus on monitoring of the speedy investigation on merit so that the accused involved in gender crimes, especially dangerous habitual offenders, can be convicted and sentenced by courts.

According to the IG, these cells will work under the supervision of City Police Officers (CPOs) and District Police Officer (DPOs) and a specialized unit of lady police personnel will act as the "Victim Support Officers" (VSOs) to provide all possible support to the affected women.

He further said that the Victim Support Officers will liaise with the affected women and be present with them during the investigation and trial hearing and will also provide assistance to the victims on matters related to the case during the hearing. The VSOs would be appointed on the basis of crimes related to women, he added.

The IG Punjab further directed that appropriate telephone lines should be set up in these cells for receiving phone calls and responding to the emergency calls within 15 minutes.

He said the staff of these cells will have to inform their respective supervisory officers about every received call and the supervisory officers will ensure timely response under their supervision and no call or request can be filed without taking it to a logical conclusion.

During the meeting, the IG further directed that a digital database of suspected and habitual offenders involved in crimes against women should be prepared while the crime mapping system made more active by identifying sensitive areas related to crimes.

He further said that police patrolling and deployment of force at sensitive places should be increased while assistance could be sought from field officers as well as other units in this regard.

He said that feedbacks would also be sought from the victims on each case and the response time and the victim's feedback would be reviewed in detail in the meeting of supervisory officers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021