Thanks to ‘SHE Teams’, crime graph against women dips by 20% 

Hyderabad: There is an overall reduction of around 20 per cent in offences against women in Hyderabad due to the strict vigil kept by 'SHE Teams', which were set up in 2014 to keep a watch on those harassing women.

Upto September this year, a total of 1296 cases of teasing and harassment among others were booked as compared to 1521 in September last year. Till September 2014, a total of 1606 such cases were registered.

SHE Teams were launched on October 24, 2014 in Hyderabad, with the sole aim and objective of curbing eve teasing/street harassment and providing a safe and secure Hyderabad city for women.

There is a drastic reduction of harassment against women in the public places and a deterrence has been created among the boys as there is a sense of fear that the ‘SHE Teams’ are watching

Since the launch, the teams have worked hard to achieve this aim and will continue to strive towards making Hyderabad City a safe place for women, a senior official of Hyderabad Police said.

There is a drastic reduction of harassment against women in the public places and a deterrence has been created among the boys as there is a sense of fear that the 'SHE Teams' are watching. The offences against women in Hyderabad have reduced by around 20 per cent, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT) Swathi Lakra said.

She said till now a total of 800 persons were caught by the teams while on patrol that included 222 minors and 577 adults. Apart from registering 1897 petty cases, 40 Nirbhaya Act cases, 33 IPC and IT Act cases in different police stations were registered.

As many as 41 persons were jailed, 242 persons were fined, 392 persons were warned and let off, she said. Offenders who harass women through phone calls, E-mails, Social Media etc are tracked down by dedicated officers using the latest technology, Lakra explained.

Till now, a total of 2362 complaints were received through various means and attended to which included 1,217 complaints from Dial 100, 322 from Facebook, 183 from email, 421 direct complaints, 44 Hawk eye (Mobile Application) and 175 WhatsApp complaints.

The offenders included 23 per cent minors while 41 per cent constituted in the age group of 18-20 years, 21-40 years-35 per cent, 41-55 years-0.67 per cent and above 55 years at 0.33 per cent.

Stalking at 39 per cent topped the list of nature of offences, followed by harassment over phone and passing lewd comments, both 21 per cent, harassment through social media, sending photos, videos to mobile phones with 9 per cent, touching inappropriately-3 per cent, taking photos without the knowledge of the victim at 2 per cent besides creating nuisance near bus stands, girls colleges, hostels etc using two-wheelers and cars recorded 5 per cent.

Apart from counselling by the officers for minors caught for teasing, they are given professional counselling in the presence of their parents, Lakra added. The officers of a SHE Team, who are in civil dress, are deployed near colleges and other public places. A single SHE Team comprises a male or female sub-inspector, a woman police constable and three police constables, who carry hidden cameras for video recording.

PTI