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Communication key to curb abuse: Experts

Experts noted that the nature of women's complaints has changed over the period.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Experts have called for the formation of an effective communication strategy aimed at creating awareness among women to report the violence they suffered. Speaking to reporters after a four-day workshop on combating gender-based violence that concluded here on Thursday, they noted that the nature of women’s complaints has changed over the period. Kerala Women's Commission member E. M. Radha said most of the petitions the commission received earlier pertained to the disputes between husband and wife. “Now there are complaints involving brother and sister, mother and son and father and daughter,” she said.

“This was due to the growing intolerance among the people.” She claimed that commission’s interventions helped protect that the freedom of Hadiya aka Akhila of Vaikom who was caught up in a legal tangle over her marriage. Amita Vyas, assistant professor, George Washington University, said women were lodging a good number of false complaints against men but a large number of violence being faced by women go unreported. Nidhi Dubey, country director of NGO Girl Rising India, said the focus should be on giving enough support to women to raise their voice against violence.

Kerala Mahila Samakhya director P. E. Usha, former gender advisor to government of Kerala Gita Gopal, and Women Police Battalion chief R. Nishanthini were other among speakers. The event was organised by the US embassy in New Delhi and Global India Fund in association with Samhita Social Ventures and Girl Rising. It was the second of a series of five organised in tier-II cities.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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