A community policing initiative aimed at preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence against women and girls at public places was launched in the city on Tuesday.
Called ‘Community Led Action Programme with Police’ (CLAPP), it is the brainchild of the International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC). This initiative is supported by the Chennai Police and US Consulates General, Chennai and Hyderabad. “As part of the programme, twelve girls from M.O.P Vaishnav College of women, 15 students of Loyola College and 10 police personnel, mainly women from Nungambakkam, will work together,” said Prasanna Gettu, founder and CEO of PCVC.
They will conduct a study in Nungambakkam to find out what types of sexual harassment and gender violence women face in public places.
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“This data will be analysed with a view to finding strategies to deal with the problem. Then, with the help of different government departments, the strategies will be introduced. We chose Nungambakkam as it is in the prime location and lot of women colleges are situated there,” she said.
The study will be carried out for a year.