GURUGRAM: The city has seen a 32% increase in complaints of domestic abuse and sexual harassment and calls for help by women this year, suggests data from the Sukoon centre.
Between January and May 2021, the Gurugram centre received 123 complaints, compared to 93 complaints in the corresponding period last year.
District counsellor Dr Suneeta Gupta said a total of 39 complaints were reported in April this year, the highest since the centre was set up in 2019 and almost a three-fold rise compared to April 2020 (14 complaints).
Sukoon centres were set up by the state government in 2019 to help and counsel women facing domestic violence and sexual harassment.
The complaints come from all parts of the city and from all classes of society.
Gupta said with the lockdown, there is an increased chance of abuse because the abuser knows that the victim doesn’t have anywhere to go.
“Women generally go to their parents’ house or siblings in times of distress.
However, since they were stuck in their homes during the second Covid wave and the ensuing lockdown, they were easy prey for domestic violence,” the district counsellor said.
Many women, however, don’t want to approach the authorities due to fear of further violence and harassment, she said.
One of the complainants approaching the centre, who is in her 40s and lives in Old Gurugram, said she faced domestic violence last year and had resolved the issues with her husband, but the lockdown brought back his abusive behaviour.
“We had resolved all the issues between us, including the financial settlement.
But ever since the lockdown was imposed again this year, he has resumed becoming violent towards me,” she said.
The district counsellor said financial troubles due to the pandemic made things worse in many cases.
While many women approach the centre through the women’s helpline, a large number of cases are found in the Civil hospital after they seek medical aid.
“The nature of the injury indicates the abuse.
When we come to know about such cases, we ask the women if they want to file a complaint,” Gupta said.
The centre has also seen a considerable number of complaints of girls under 16 being sexually assaulted or harassed by family members or acquaintances this year so far.
In the current times, Dr Gupta said it is important for women to be aware of all the helpline numbers (100, 1091 and 1098) where they can call and seek help.