Kudumbashree’s Snehitha gender help desk, which is in its 12th year of providing shelter, counselling, and other services to women and children, handled 6,605 cases in the 2024-25 financial year alone.
As many as 1,692 people, including women and children, were given shelter. Of the total number of cases, 1,102 pertained to domestic violence, 233 to sexual violence against children, and 136 to other forms of violence against children.
These activities were carried out with the support of the police and the child helpline.
Since it started operations on August 23, 2013, Snehitha has handled 60,889 cases. As many as 11,776 people, including women and children, were provided temporary shelter.
Free legal aid, medical aid, and counselling services were provided in 49,113 cases in collaboration with the district legal service authority concerned. These includes cases that came to the Snehitha office in-person and those received over phone.
The 24-hour help desk under the auspices of the Kudumbashree provides women and children who come to Snehitha directly with various problems temporary shelter for a maximum of three days.
In cases that require rehabilitation, support is provided in collaboration with various departments and non-governmental organisations. Counselling services are also provided to those who need psychological support.
Snehitha currently functions in all 14 districts and as part of the Attappady Tribal Comprehensive Development Project. Each Snehitha office has 11 employees, including two counsellors, five service providers, an office assistant, a caretaker, and two security guards who work on a shift basis.
To expand the activities of the gender help desk, Snehitha extension centres have been started in police stations under the jurisdiction of 84 Deputy Superintendent of Police/Assistant Commissioner of Police offices in the State in collaboration with the Home department. These centres are aimed at ensuring psychological support by deputing community counsellors to assist women and children who come to police stations. Eleven Snehitha sub-centres extend services of the gender help desk to remote and isolated places.
Published – April 17, 2025 08:28 pm IST
