For the first time in Kerala, counseling centers were started at the police stations across the district by Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta district Mission. A large number of cases can be solved through counselling or mediation which comes to police stations every day. Till now, a total of 161 cases have been reported to the police station counseling centers including 66 domestic violence cases, 18 cases on atrocities against children, 41 counseling cases, 24 family problem related issues, and 12 cases from various other categories. 20 cases have been referred to Snehitha, 2 to health department and 2 to Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KELSA) directly from these centers.
The problems can be solved properly only after giving them an opportunity to ventilate, which may take so much of time. But mostly the policemen may not be able to give their time and attention for so long. Thus, what ultimately happens is that, they just calls them, threatens them and sends them back. But this does not solve the problem completely or permanently. The Kudumbashree counselling centres at Police Station were able to solve this problem by giving them an opportunity to ventilate freely without any barrier. People who comes to the station with domestic issues are directed to the counseling centre. There are couples may with adaptive problems, financial issues, sexual problems and domestic violence.
This centre also provide common platform to women to address their problem, protect their rights, solve their grievances and provide necessary guidance. This counseling centre at police station works for reconciliation between the couple to convenience them of leading the life instead of breaking up. People can approach the centre for the reconciliation to avoid divorce .There are some cases related to children are leaving home to love failure, cases related to misuse of internet and mobile phones etc. In the case of such teenagers we provide counseling to the entire family and also give awareness to the good parenting. The starting of these centers was a matter of great relief for the police men as well as the clients. These counseling centers will be opened on 2 days a week and the community counselor in charge of respective CDS, and a staff from Snehitha Gender Help Desk will be present there on these days.
The first of its kind of a centre was set up at Adoor Police Station on 17 November 2017. The same was inaugurated by Shri. Jose R, DYSP, Adoor, Following this, counseling centers were started at Pandalam and Aranmula police stations was well. The Counseling Centre at Pandalam Police Station was inaugurated by Shri. Jose, DYSP on 7 December 2017 and the counseling centre at Aranmula police station was inaugurated by the Hon. Smt. Veena George, MLA, Aranmula. More police stations are welcoming this kind of Snehitha Community Counselling centers in their police stations.
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