In an effort to ensure women’s safety in the national capital, Delhi police is set to launch “anti-eve-teasing” or “Shistachar” squads in all districts.
According to the circular issued by the Delhi police, each district will have a squad of 15 trained personnel, who apart from responding to such crimes, would also work towards prevention and deterrence.
“The District Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCsP) shall identify hotspots and vulnerable areas posing risks to women’s safety. A list of such areas identified by the district DCPs should be shared with the DCP of Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC),” the official circular read.
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The deployment roster will be prepared by Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), Crime Against Women (CAW) Units, and approved by DCP SPUWAC on a weekly basis.
The squad should routinely move around in vulnerable areas and conduct drives in at least two vulnerable points every day, including surprise checks on public transport. They should rotate across these points systematically, ensuring complete coverage of all such areas in their jurisdiction over a period of time.
The squads will deploy plain-clothed female police officers to identify and deter perpetrators.
Suggesting collaboration with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Market Welfare Associations (MWAs), and local volunteers to enhance vigilance and identify more vulnerable spots, the squad will focus on victim protection, ensuring survivors don’t face public scrutiny.
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It is recommended that district DCsP ensure that personnel in these squads remain “sensitive and empathetic.”
“The squad must focus on enforcing the law, rather than imposing personal or cultural morality on individuals,” the circular read.