The Santwana Women’s Helpline Centre has refuted charges by some social workers that it was not helping women in distress in Udupi taluk. The helpline sponsored by the Department of Women and Child Welfare, is managed by the District Federation of Women’s Association. Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Koradkal Vasanti Rao, secretary of the federation, said the helpline had been in existence in the district for over 10 years and had handled nearly 2,000 cases of women in distress during this period. The work of the helpline was not just limited to rescuing women in distress but also rehabilitating them, she said.
Though the helpline had been successful in helping a large number of women, it did not publicise its success. This was because it had to protect the identity of the women it helped not only when they were in distress, but also after they were rehabilitated, so that they could live with dignity, she said. The helpline works in close coordination with the departments of police and women and child welfare.
BaselessThe allegation made by some social workers that the helpline did not help a woman from Tamil Nadu, who was in distress here on November 13, was totally baseless. As soon as the helpline learnt about the case, it sent an assistant to the District Government Hospital, where the woman was being treated. The helpline had provided all the facilities it could to the woman, she said.
“We have responded as fast as we could in this case despite having a staff shortage. The helpline is committed to helping women in distress,” Ms. Rao said.
