Telangana Police asks men to help women's safety starting March 7

Telangana Police are starting a new campaign on March 7 to get men involved in keeping women safe. This is a change from focusing only on women's safety.
By Newsroom | Social Issues, Telangana |

TELANGANA POLICE are launching a new initiative, "Stand with Her – Men Standing for Women," on March 7. The campaign aims to shift the burden of ensuring women's safety, directly calling upon men to actively participate in preventing violence and challenging everyday behaviors that contribute to an unsafe environment. The initiative frames violence against women as a spectrum, where seemingly minor acts like staring, sexist jokes, stalking, and online harassment are viewed as precursors that can foster a climate conducive to more severe offenses, including domestic abuse and sexual assault.

The Women Safety Wing of the Telangana Police is spearheading this effort. Their stated goal is to foster a culture where men acknowledge their responsibility in creating a secure society for women. This approach moves beyond solely focusing on victims, instead emphasizing the role of perpetrators and bystanders. The campaign intends to foster dialogue and critical self-reflection among men regarding their actions and attitudes towards women.

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This "Stand with Her" campaign builds upon existing structures and past initiatives by the Telangana Police aimed at women's safety. The Women Safety Wing itself is tasked with developing and conducting awareness campaigns, offering assistance to victims, and creating dedicated modules for various crimes against women and children. They operate facilities such as the SHE Bharosa Cyber Lab and Anti Human Trafficking Unit.

Telangana police to launch ‘Stand with Her’ campaign urging men to take responsibility for women’s safety - 1

Previous efforts by the Telangana Police include the establishment of women's help desks at police stations, dedicated patrols, and self-defense training workshops. The "SHE Teams," a notable initiative, deploy plainclothes officers to "hotspots" where offenses against women and children are frequently reported. These teams gather photographic or videographic evidence to apprehend offenders. The SHE Teams are presented as a key component of the state's strategy to deter and address harassment in public spaces.

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The initiative also aligns with broader goals articulated by the Telangana State Police department, which commits to delivering efficient police services and fostering cooperative partnerships with the community to reduce crime. The Director General of Police, Dr. Jitender, has previously called for "impactful execution of women's safety initiatives" and emphasized the need for consistent, scalable measures. This has included projects like 'Project Safe Stay' to enhance hostel safety and regular coordination meetings across different police commissionerates to standardize safety programs.

Furthermore, the police department has highlighted its collaboration with external bodies, such as presentations made to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding their safety initiatives. These presentations have detailed the functioning of facilities like Bharosa Centres, which offer legal, medical, and counseling assistance, and the deployment of She Teams.

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The core message of "Stand with Her" appears to be a call for a societal shift, engaging men as allies rather than solely as potential perpetrators or neutral observers. The campaign suggests that a collective male responsibility is crucial for dismantling the systemic issues that contribute to gender-based violence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the new campaign launched by Telangana Police on March 7?
Telangana Police are launching a campaign called 'Stand with Her – Men Standing for Women' on March 7. It asks men to help prevent violence and unsafe behaviors towards women.
Q: Why is Telangana Police starting this 'Stand with Her' campaign?
The campaign aims to make men understand their role in creating a safe environment for women. It wants men to challenge actions like staring, sexist jokes, and stalking that can lead to bigger problems.
Q: How does this campaign change the focus on women's safety?
Instead of only focusing on victims, this campaign highlights the responsibility of men as potential perpetrators and bystanders. It encourages men to think about their actions and attitudes towards women.
Q: What other safety efforts has Telangana Police done before?
Telangana Police have previously set up women's help desks, done special patrols, and offered self-defense training. They also have 'SHE Teams' in plain clothes to catch offenders in busy areas.
Q: What is the main message of the 'Stand with Her' campaign?
The main message is that men need to work together to stop violence against women. It calls for a shared responsibility among men to fix the problems that lead to gender-based violence.