THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is planning to open five new Nirbhaya shelter homes for victims of sexual abuse in five districts that do not have such a home. The districts are: Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Kannur. There are also plans to open a centralised After Care Centre for victims above the age of 18 and also for those who cannot be reintegrated back into their homes.
Steps are being taken to immediately open the home in Kollam district, social justice minister K.K. Shylaja said in the Assembly on Monday. The Kollam home will be run by the NGO Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At the moment, there are 11 Nirbhaya shelter homes in the remaining nine districts. Thiruvananthapuram district has three such homes.
The minister said that counselling and trauma care therapy were given to victims in the Home with the help of clinical psychologists and social workers. "As part of rehabilitation measures, an individual care plan has been developed for each victim after assessing their social educational and economic status," Ms Shylaja said.
Inmates are provided vocational education or mainstream education on the basis of the individual child care plan. The minister said that Bhumika centres function in all government hospitals to provide care and treatment to sexual abuse victims.
