Bengaluru: Within a week of the Deccan Chronicle report, “Where are integrated centres for victims?” the health ministry and the women and child welfare department are opening a pilot centre at Bowring Hospital with a dedicated staff to help women and children traumatised by rape and sexual assault, on Saturday.
Manned by only female staff, the Integrated Centre will have doctors and counsellors round-the-clock to help victims of sexual abuse and rape.
"A rape victim will get all the help she needs whether it is in the form of legal advice, police action or counselling at this centre," said hospital sources, explaining that the increasing number of rapes in the city and the growing public outrage reflected in the media had prompted the authorities to open the centre at Bowring without more delay.
Confirming this, hospital medical superintendent, Dr S I S Khadri, said the all-female staff centre would help women and children who may have been victims of sexual assault in an environment of complete privacy and confidentiality.
"There will be one examination room, one four-bedded room for admission, a counsellors’ room and a legal cell. We will also have doctors in attendance round- the- clock at the centre to help victims of sexual assault and rape," he added.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had revealed when presenting Budget-2014 that integrated centres for rape victims would be established across Karnataka and a pilot project would take off at Bowring hospital.
He had also assured that this would be followed by more such centres at KC General Hospital, Bangalore Medical College, NIMHANS and Jayadeva Hospital in the city.
