Friday, 01 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
In a worrying trend, cases of dowry and mental harassment against women across the State have shown a spike over the past few years despite various measures taken to strengthen women’s safety.
As per the data shared by the Uttarakhand State Commission for Women (USCW), Dehradun has recorded the highest number of domestic violence cases among the districts of the State-177 in 2022-23. Haridwar has recorded 31 domestic violence cases while Udham Singh Nagar has recorded six such cases. Further, Dehradun has witnessed 60 dowry-related cases while the figures for Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts are 45 and six respectively
Commenting on the rise in harassment cases involving women across the State, the USCW chairperson Kusum Kandwal said, “Based on the commission’s findings, Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar figure prominently in women harassment cases in the State. Such cases have been rising across the State over the years, but we are particularly concerned with the figures of the three districts,” she said.
“One of the main reasons for this surge is the increased women’s rights awareness. Women have now gathered courage to speak up against wrongdoing or harassment they face,” she said.
She further said that if a woman encounters any form of harassment in the State, she can seek assistance from the commission. “To lodge complaints, women can send direct messages via WhatsApp to the commission’s designated number at 812677474. Upon reviewing the complaint, the commission provides counselling to all the parties involved in each case. If the individual or the family is found to continue harassing women even after the counselling session, the commission conducts follow-up procedures and takes strict actions,” she said.
