Domestic Violence

Victims of domestic abuse can reach out to these centres for help

ANGALA: CRISIS INTERVENTION CENTER

The women’s crisis intervention centre, Angala (meaning courtyard), was initiated in 1993 to systematically reach out, respond and offer moral, social and legal support to women who are victims of violence and abuse both within marriage and outside, enabling them to lead a life of dignity free from violence.

The women who reach out for support are from all communities and classes, rural and urban – for domestic violence is an issue that does cut across all barriers. The follow up to each case, apart from the counselling and direct intervention is equally intensive and therefore takes a long time. To get a job for the woman, to find admission for child/ children in orphanages where the mother is not able to look after them, visit them in their houses after compromise is done, to provide medical treatment, like involving them in other meetings, awareness / sharing programmes, finding shelter etc.

At any given point of time the centre is responding to about 400-500 women and families who approach them for help. The nuances of the violence and harassment each woman goes through in her personal and domestic life are specifi c to her situation – so there cannot be ready solutions on offer for conflict resolution. Our focus in each case is on helping the woman to heal within, even as her immediate support needs – medical, social or legal, are addressed.

ASHRAYA: TARA WOMEN’S CENTRE

TARA, the Ashraya Women’s Centre was started in 1996. It is a residential centre that provides shelter to women who are survivors of sexual violence, abandonment, and domestic and social abuse. It aims to give the residents of TARA a secure, protected place to stay with their children and their services include counselling to rebuild self-confidence and selfesteem, skill based training and job placement to enable economic independence. They believe that empowered women, provide, in turn, stability and security to their families and the confi dence they gain after their stay in TARA stays with them throughout their lives. ·The average rehabilitation period and stay is two years.

We provide a crèche in the premises to care for the young children of our residents, and have arranged for a school nearby to enrol school going children. ·International Women’s Day is celebrated every year at TARA to highlight and reinforce the resilient spirit of women.

SUDHA A training centre in Nelamangala was set up to encourage non-profi t organisations to conduct training programs at the premises for. Micro finance, self-help groups, and other training programmes are conducted.