Govt ties up with NIMHANS to provide adequate support to women in distress

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The government has decided to provide “comprehensivepsycho-social care” to women who have been facing violence, Union Minister Smriti Irani said. The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) will undertake this initiative in collaboration with NIMHANS Bangalore, the minister said. The ministry will carefully monitor the implementation status of the programme.</p>
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Staff will be adequately trained to offer first line psycho-social support to women and referrals to mental health services when required.</p>
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The ministry will also focus on strict implementation of standard operating procedures provided by it in relation to psycho-social support.</p>
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Meanwhile Irani, speaking to the media, also said that the ministry has sought information from the Bureau of Police Research and Development to map police stations which have no forensic kits– used to collect evidence for cases relating to sexual assault. </p>
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Irani also said that her ministry will eventually merge all helplines across the country that exist for women safety.</p>
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"We are looking for amalgamation of all helplines across the country so they don't have to remember multiple numbers as they travel through states but we have already engaged with the Home Ministry on it," Irani told reporters. She added that children helpline however will remain separate. Irani said that the one-stop centres for women will be ramped up with additional support. About 3,08,000 women have benefited through these facilities, she said.   </p>