Snehitha, the gender help desk of the Kudumbashree, has handled 154 cases of domestic violence in the district so far this financial year.
With just over four months left in this fiscal, the number remains unlikely to shoot past the previous year’s 298. Domestic violence continues to dominate the cases being reported at the district help desk of Snehitha in Kakkanad and its sub-centre in Perumbavoor.
Since its inception in 2013, Snehitha has handled 1,899 cases related to domestic violence, with the highest number of cases getting reported during 2022-23 followed by 256 in 2020-21 and 251 in 2021-22. The lowest number was reported in 2013-14 followed by 36 in 2015-16.
Besides, women seem more inclined to take legal recourse in domestic violence cases unlike in the past. For those who are still reluctant to drag husbands or children into litigation, Snehitha’s mediations remain an effective alternative.
Ninety cases related to family disputes have been reported so far this year followed by 70 alcoholism-related cases, 19 child-related cases, and 15 cases of atrocities against women. The total number of cases reported stood at 501, while 124 have been offered counselling till November.
In 2022-23, as many as 778 cases were handled by Snehitha help desks, while the biggest ever number of 1,087 cases were handled in the year before. Since its inception, Snehitha has intervened in 8,462 cases.
“With over four months still remaining, we are yet to assess any perceptible pattern in cases being reported with us. The numbers, however, keep on fluctuating with a spike in cases whenever we conduct a campaign. We conduct awareness campaigns annually on the services being available through Snehitha,” said Shine T. Money, district programme manager (gender), Kudumbashree.
The district Snehitha help desk is managed by two counsellors and five service providers. Besides, there are 44 community counsellors in charge of two to three community development societies each at the local body level.
Temporary shelter of three to five days is offered whenever inmates are moved to long-term shelters if that is warranted. In the last 10 years, 1,063 persons have benefited from the shelter facility of Snehitha.
