Nirbheek Woman Police Officers (NWPOs) will educate girls in schools and colleges about sexual crimes and the punishments associated with them. Delhi Police will be sending these policewomen out into the field to help increase the safety of girls and encourage them to come forward with their complaints.
With a view to preventing sexual harassment of school and college going girls, Delhi Police has launched a new initiative called Operation Nirbheek.
After two months of trial in Northeast Delhi, the operation has now been launched in all 160 police stations across 11 districts in the city.
Picture for representation only. Photo Credit: Flickr
Under this initiative, the Station House Officers (SHOs) of all police stations have to appoint one female police officer as a Nirbheek Woman Police Officer (NWPO). The responsibilities of this officer will include educating girls in schools and colleges about different sexual crimes and the punishments associated with them. The Nirbheek team will comprise an ACP rank officer who will be the overall in-charge, the SHO who will be the chief coordinator, and a woman sub-inspector or assistant sub-inspector as the coordinator. A woman head constable will be appointed as NWPO. The SHO will personally introduce this officer to principals of schools and colleges in his/her area.
NWPOs will visit schools and colleges under their jurisdiction at least once a week. They will be required to spend about two hours with the students. According to official orders, the constable in this position should have good communication skills, patience and listening capability. In dedicated sessions, NWPOs will show students some group plays and documentary films, and will encourage the girls to speak up about any kind of sexual assault or abuse that they may have experienced.
The officers will also talk to students about girls who have registered complaints in the past. Such students will be encouraged to share their stories and how they approached the police, to give others the same confidence.
Young children will also be taught about ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch.’
Girls will have the option of sharing their problems verbally or by writing letters that can be dropped off in the drop boxes to be installed in different schools and colleges. Such letters will be examined on a weekly basis and action will be taken accordingly.
Up until now, more than 200 verbal complaints have been received, which include complaints about sexual abuse, assault and road-side harassers.
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