The West Bengal home department has issued an order for police stations across the state with guidelines on how to deal with women or their kin who approach to complain of rape, molestation and other forms of assault.
While the new guidelines asking them to treat victims of sexual assault in a humane manner were issued on July 4, most officers were not aware of it.
Under the new guidelines, all victims of sexual assault will be provided with legal and psychiatric help at police stations. Their complaint will also be recorded by a woman officer to ensure sensitivity.
The state home department has taken upon itself to sensitise the police stations about the new rules. The need for compassion and understanding in dealing with such victims is being drilled into the system.
According to senior home department officials, the government will soon launch a campaign around these guidelines, encouraging women and their kin to lodge complaints.
“Under the new guidelines, the victim’s statement can only be recorded in the presence of her family, except in cases when she is complaining against someone within the family. Such statements will be recorded by a lady officer in the presence of other women officers,” a senior officer said.
While the government has asked senior police officers to say in public that the new guidelines have been formulated following a Supreme Court ruling for all states, insiders agree that the order is an effort to make amends for the insensitive comments by ministers and leaders of the ruling party, including the chief minister, on incidents of atrocities against women since the TMC came to power. The April 16 Supreme Court judgment laid down the guidelines and instructed director-generals (DGP) of all state police forces to issue the necessary order.
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