The Bihar government has decided to appoint 140 full-time Protection Officers (POs) across the state to better support women affected by domestic violence. This decision aims to provide faster and more effective help to victims.
The Social Welfare Department has announced that a special group of POs will be created at the sub-division, district, and state levels. This step has been taken because of the increasing number of domestic violence cases in Bihar.
Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, Additional Chief Secretary of the Social Welfare Department and Chairperson of the Bihar Women and Child Development Corporation (WCDC), said that these officers will play a key role in handling domestic violence cases.
"The process will start soon. More than 140 Protection Officers will be appointed across Bihar, including 101 at the sub-division level, 38 at the district level, and 1 at the state level," she said.
This appointment follows the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, ensuring that women get the legal protection they need.
Role of protection officers
The Protection Officers will have important responsibilities, such as:
- Assisting magistrates in handling domestic violence cases.
- Helping victims get medical treatment if they are injured and sending medical reports to the police and magistrates.
- Ensuring that monetary compensation ordered under Section 20 of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, is properly followed.
The Bihar government has already introduced laws like the Dowry Prohibition Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, to protect women. Various government schemes also provide support to domestic violence survivors.
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Opening of more One Stop Centres (OSCs)
To further help women affected by violence, the Bihar government is also opening 11 new One Stop Centres (OSCs) in different districts.
Bamhrah confirmed that Bihar has received approval from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development to establish these additional centres.
At present, 39 OSCs operate in 38 districts, with two centres in Patna. The new centres will be set up in Muzaffarpur, Gaya, East Champaran, West Champaran, Purnea, Katihar, Rohtas, Madhubani, Kaimur, Aurangabad, and Jamui.
One Stop Centres (OSCs) were introduced by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2015 to provide medical, legal, psychological, and emergency support to women affected by violence.
Increase in cases of domestic violence
According to the Bihar Economic Survey Report (2023-24), there was an increase in crimes against women in 2022-23 compared to the previous year. The report suggests that this is due to greater awareness and support services that encourage more women to report incidents.
Statistics from the report:
- 8,002 cases of crimes against women were registered in 2022-23, and 6,952 cases were resolved.
- The most common cases were domestic violence (5,615 cases), followed by dowry-related abuse (708 cases), rape and trafficking (147 cases), second marriage disputes (71 cases), child marriage (48 cases), cybercrimes (42 cases), workplace harassment (23 cases), and other crimes (1,284 cases).
- In 2021-22, 7,030 cases were registered, and 6,002 were resolved.
The appointment of Protection Officers and the expansion of One Stop Centres are expected to improve legal aid, medical help, and emotional support for domestic violence survivors in Bihar.
This move reflects the Bihar government's commitment to ensuring justice and safety for women through strong laws, better administration, and more support services.
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