Pink Protection Project: Kerala Police launches Project to safeguard women's rights

New Delhi, July 18: In recent times, there has been a perceived increase in crimes against women, particularly with regards to dowry harassments/marital problems, online abuse, stalking, molestation, rape etc.

The COVID lockdowns have also given more opportunities for such harassments to increase and so there is urgent need to devise a comprehensive project to deal with the emerging problems and also to revitalise our existing women friendly schemes.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently announced a pink protection project of the State police to safeguard rights of women in public, private and cyber spaces. He said theproject would be launched on July 19 to check atrocities against the women that have reportedly increased during the COVID-19 lockdown.

"Dowry harassment, cyber attacks, harassment in public spaces are a few among many issues faced by women these days. An increase in such incidents has been recorded during the lockdown period.

The pink protection project of the Kerala police will addresssuch issues," Vijayan told reporters here. He said the pink ''janamaithri'' beat would involve police personnel visiting houses and collecting details of domestic violence.

The personnel would speak to panchayat members and locals to collect information on incidents of abuse and report to the police officers before a complaint reaches the station, Vijayan said.

"The specially trained pink beat officers will be present in public places and a pink control room will be available in all the 14 districts. A pink shadow patrol team will identify the anti-social elements at crowded places and take action," he said.

He said a woman Bullet patrol team and pink Romeo would also be launched along with the pink protection project.

In this regard a special project titled "Pink Protection Project'' (Protection of women in public, private& digital space) is hereby launched with the following ingredients:

1. Pink Patrol

Pink Patrol has been specifically related to safety, security of Women & Children and it is proposed to strengthen the system further present issues. The Pink Patrol tracking devices, camera installed on the fr vehicles sending continuous visuals to the Police control room and vehicles are operated by women police officers Police Officer/ personnel.

The patrol cars are deployed in areas that have high presence of women and functions between 8 am to 8 pm. district, the Pink Control Room has a command & control centre with trained police personnel, which is now number "112". Whenever the same on the concerned MDT in the pink patrol vehicle.

On receiving such calls, the pink patrol vehicle moves to the victim's location for Pink Patrol has been specifically introduced to address issues related to safety, security of Women & Children and it is proposed to strengthen the system further is the work of the Pink Patrol with cars (Etios & Swift) equipped with GPS tracking devices, camera installed on the front and rear sides of the vehicles sending continuous visuals to the Police control room and vehicles are operated by women police officers. Each car has three (1+3) Women Police Officer/ personnel.

The patrol cars are deployed in areas that have ence of women and functions between 8 am to 8 pm. district, the Pink Control Room has a command & control centre with trained police personnel, which is now fully synchronized with ERSS .

Whenever control room receives a call from 1515, it flashes the same on the concerned MDT in the pink patrol vehicle.

On receiving such calls, the pink patrol vehicle moves to the victim's location for 3 introduced to address issues related to safety, security of Women & Children in Public Space, is the work of the with cars (Etios & Swift) equipped with GPS ont and rear sides of the vehicles sending continuous visuals to the Police control room and vehicles Each car has three (1+3) Women Police Officer/ personnel.

The patrol cars are deployed in areas that have ence of women and functions between 8 am to 8 pm. In each district, the Pink Control Room has a command & control centre with synchronized with ERSS control room receives a call from 1515, it flashes the same on the concerned MDT in the pink patrol vehicle. On receiving such calls, the pink patrol vehicle moves to the victim's location for providing assistance. W to five numbers in each police district related to women.

This will ensure better presence in public areas and faster response to calls in districts.

2. Pink Janamaithry Beats:

The present issues of dowry ha discords are problems limited to action to prevent these crimes handled when complaints are received formally. To collect information/intelligence on such crimes, it is planned to start a "Pink Beat team" consisting of 1 WCPO patrolling, in the certain prescribed area data collection on women harassm We propose to increase the number of Pi to five numbers in each police districts, to effectively address the issues This will ensure better presence in public areas and faster response to calls in districts. Pink Janamaithry Beats: The present issues of dowry harassment, dowry deaths, marital limited to "inside the households" and so the Police to prevent these crimes are highly limited.

These cases can only be handled when complaints are received formally.

To collect information/intelligence on such crimes, it is planned to start a consisting of 1 WCPO / 1 CPO who will be in the certain prescribed areas and they will be on women harassment incidents inside 4 to increase the number of Pink Patrols to effectively address the issues This will ensure better presence in public areas and rassment, dowry deaths, marital " and so the Police . These cases can only be handled when complaints are received formally.

To collect information/intelligence on such crimes, it is planned to start a dedicated who will be entrusted for will be entrusted with incidents inside homes. Pink Janamaithry Beats while visiting Panchayat members, local volunteers such unreported marital dis SHO for remedial action. couples and families to ensure that dowry harassments and related issues do not flame up.

3. 'Pink Control Room'

'Pink Control Room' handling of emergency calls and signals from women & children in distress. The Pink Beat included specially trained women police personnel. were entrusted the task of preventing crimes against women like molestation, eve teasing in areas of public thoroughfare. personnel patrol the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private state carriers and at bus stops, schools, colleges and other public while visiting the houses will question Panchayat members, local volunteers and they will collect information on such unreported marital discords/harassments and report the same to the or remedial action. They will also keep a tab on newly wedded couples and families to ensure that dowry harassments and related issues 'Pink Control Room' 'Pink Control Room' with 'Pink Beats' was set up as a solution for handling of emergency calls and signals from women & children in distress.

The Pink Beat included specially trained women police personnel. were entrusted the task of preventing crimes against women like teasing in areas of public thoroughfare. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private state carriers and at bus stops, schools, colleges and other public 5 question the neighbors, will collect information on /harassments and report the same to the They will also keep a tab on newly wedded couples and families to ensure that dowry harassments and related issues was set up as a solution for handling of emergency calls and signals from women & children in distress.

The Pink Beat included specially trained women police personnel. Who were entrusted the task of preventing crimes against women like teasing in areas of public thoroughfare.

These police Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private state carriers and at bus stops, schools, colleges and other public places to prevent and detect such offences. Rooms are there in 14 police districts (Thiruvananthapuram City, Thiruvananthapuram Rural, Kollam City, Pathanamthitta, Allepey, Kottayam, Kochi City, Ernakulam Rural, Thrissur City, Palakkad, Malapuram, Kozhikode City, Kannur & Kasargod). activated in all such public places by the SHO's concerned.

4. Pink Shadow

Pink shadow patrolling team operating from Women Police Station of women. These personnel crowded public buses for misuse and hassle, but also look out for anti social activities at bus stops, schools and other vulnerable areas. act as decoys to catch habitual eve teases.

5. Pink Romeo to prevent and detect such offences. At present, are there in 14 police districts (Thiruvananthapuram City, Thiruvananthapuram Rural, Kollam City, Pathanamthitta, Allepey, Kottayam, Kochi City, Ernakulam Rural, Thrissur City, Palakkad, Malapuram, Kozhikode City, Kannur & Kasargod). Pink Beats activated in all such public places by the SHO's concerned.

patrolling team will be introduced in Police Districts operating from Women Police Station, in the areas that have high presence These personnel in mufty, will monitor the insides of the crowded public buses for misuse and hassle, but also look out for anti social activities at bus stops, schools and other vulnerable areas. act as decoys to catch habitual eve teases and molesters. 6 nt, Pink Control are there in 14 police districts (Thiruvananthapuram City, Thiruvananthapuram Rural, Kollam City, Pathanamthitta, Allepey, Kottayam, Kochi City, Ernakulam Rural, Thrissur City, Palakkad, Pink Beats will now be activated in all such public places by the SHO's concerned. introduced in Police Districts areas that have high presence monitor the insides of the crowded public buses for misuse and hassle, but also look out for anti- social activities at bus stops, schools and other vulnerable areas.

They will This is the Bike Patrolling team introduced in certain Police Districts the areas that have high presence of women and operating from Women Police Station and entrusted with Quarantine checking & Beat Patrol will be introduced in all the Police districts, both as a security measure and for Covid protocol implementation.

6. Pink Digital Drive

To address the issues related to online harassment of women on the digital platform/phone and the social media, all the and cyber police stations will conduct a special digital patrolling drive to take down all such websites/groups/p harassment of women. Stringent cases will be registered against offenders indulging in stalking and hara profile in social media will be targeted and identified and strict action under IT Act will be taken against such offenders. s the Bike Patrolling team introduced in certain Police Districts the areas that have high presence of women and operating from Women and entrusted with Quarantine checking & Beat Patrol will be introduced in all the Police districts, both as a security measure and for Covid protocol implementation.

Pink Digital Drive To address the issues related to online harassment of women on the digital platform/phone and the social media, all the cyber cells/cyberdomes and cyber police stations will conduct a special digital patrolling drive to take down all such websites/groups/pages responsible for digital harassment of women. Stringent cases will be registered against offenders indulging in stalking and harassment of women in public space. Take profile in social media will be targeted and identified and strict action under Act will be taken against such offenders. 7 s the Bike Patrolling team introduced in certain Police Districts in the areas that have high presence of women and operating from Women and entrusted with Quarantine checking & Beat Patrol.

This will be introduced in all the Police districts, both as a security measure and To address the issues related to online harassment of women on the cyber cells/cyberdomes and cyber police stations will conduct a special digital patrolling drive to ages responsible for digital harassment of women. Stringent cases will be registered against offenders ssment of women in public space. Take profile in social media will be targeted and identified and strict action under 8

7. Vanitha Cells & Counseling Centres.

Vanitha Cells are functioning in all Police districts where petition on harassment against women, family dispute are handled on a large scale. DPC's will ensure that the counseling centres are activated in all Vanitha cells, with the assistance of counselors from the Social Welfare Department or from reputed NGO's, so that such petitions are handled effectively. The Counseling centres should be the first line dispute redressal forum for all family related cases.

8. Immediate Response.

All projects for protection of women will fail, if there is no immediate and quick response to complaints received from them. In this regard all SHO's, Vanitha Cells, Cyber Cells, Police Station etc. should be energized and activated to ensure a positive bias to complaints received from women. DPC's should organize special Classes / Awareness sessions to ensure that the officers are motivated to deal with all such complaints effectively & quickly.

9. Digital App / POL-App

Kerala Police has already launched an App "NIRBHAYAM" Exclusively for women for women in distress, with an emergency button - the same feature is already available in the Integrated App of Kerala Police, POL-App. The women can be encouraged to download these apps and use the same in "emergency" situations.

10. Pink Hotspot Crime Mapping

SP SCRB will drawn out a new plan for Hot Spot mapping of crimes against women, particularly with regards to tape, molestation, eve-teasing, Dowry death, dowry harassment which will then be shared with all DPC's, to identify their respective hotspots and to take remedial action. All DPC's, Range DIG's, Zonal IGP's under the overall supervision of ADGP L&O will implement the project and ensure that crimes against women are prevented and detection with utmost sincerity.