the goan I network
PANAJI
The 181 women’s helpline was launched on Monday at Kala Academy by Minister of Women and Child Welfare Vishwajit Rane. The helpline, now active, is a 24x7 helpline that works just like the other emergency helplines (like 100, or 108) and offers three broad services to women who need help and/or are in distress: advice, rescue and counseling.
The women’s helpline service, which currently has two ambulances, is tied up with the ambulance service 108, so 108 ambulances may also be used to pick up women who call 181. Any woman who needs help at any time can call 181, which will be answered by one of around 16 women counselors, who will determine whether the call is an emergency call or a non-emergency call, and take further action accordingly.
In the case of an emergency call, 181 aims to rescue the woman in an ambulance. The woman will then be shifted to Gomantak Lokseva Trust Mahilashram in North Goa.
Rane explained that while the helpline would serve women across all age groups, confidentiality of the caller would be maintained. “Currently we take action after a woman has been victimised. With the launch of 181, any woman who needs to talk about a problem now has an accessible helpline,” he said.
The helpline is open to teenagers who find themselves in a situation of an unwanted pregnancy, or old women who may find themselves homeless after being thrown out of their homes.
In the case of a non-emergency call, the woman who needs help, will be advised about what schemes the government has for her.
Explaining how the helpline works, Dr Shaila D’Souza, Head of Department of Women’s Studies, Goa University, also said that she hoped women in Goa would not ever need to call 181. She expressed optimism that through education, Goa could become a ‘zero violence against women’ state.
Director of Women and Child Development Dipak Desai explained that the 181 involved not only saving life, but security of life.
Poorthi Patkar, head of operations, GVK EMRI, is co-ordinating the services of 108 and 181. 181 is also looking towards corporates to sponsor more ambulances, so that the helpline can add to its fleet.
Two citizens, Joji George and Amit Kumar who donated money, ambulances were lauded at the launch.
