Ampati, June 30: An awareness programme on domestic violence was organized by the District Administration of South West Garo Hills in collaboration with the District Social Welfare Office and District Police at Mahendraganj on Wednesday.
It may be mentioned that the outgoing Deputy Commissioner of the district Ram Singh, who attended the programme as the chief guest, while reviewing the report submitted by the District Police recently was alarmed to find that most cases of domestic violence were reported from Mahendraganj area and hence instructed the Social Welfare department to conduct a programme to create awareness among the people of the area.
Addressing the participants, he said domestic violence will not stop unless we change the mindset of the people and women are given equal place in the family and society. He said that all kinds of domestic violence were an offshoot of gender discrimination of children since birth and called upon the men-folk to start treating their women with respect, to inculcate the same values in their children and put an end to all kinds of domestic violence to build a stronger and more productive society.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, B. Jyrwa, while highlighting on various forms of domestic violence, said that law provides for protection of women from domestic violence and exploitation and urged upon all victims of domestic violence to come forward to register their cases without fear of being stigmatized.
District Social Welfare Officer, Linda J. Sangma in her introductory note, also spoke of a number of cases of domestic violence that she encountered and briefly highlighted on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
A skit on domestic violence staged by Anganwadi workers of Mahendraganj also generated a lot interest among the audience on the occasion.
