Gujarat Police maps 525 vulnerable locations in first week of women, child safety drive

Gandhinagar, Aug 26 (IANS) Gujarat Police has mapped 525 vulnerable locations and identified 436 sensitive families and repeat domestic violence victims during the first week of its month-long ‘Mission Surakshit Shakti’, as the force shifts greater emphasis towards preventive policing and intervention before incidents involving women and children escalate.

The statewide drive, launched under the supervision of Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik and under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, recorded a range of preventive measures between August 19 and 23.

The first-week activities included vulnerability mapping, public-place and institutional safety audits, victim follow-ups, counselling and self-defence training.

“The Week 1 drive report for August 19 to 23 indicates that the policing initiative has moved beyond an incident-based response towards a more proactive and victim-centric approach, with a focus on identifying vulnerabilities before they develop into serious incidents,” said Ajay Choudhary, Additional Director General of Police, CID Crime (Women Cell), Gujarat.

Of the 525 locations mapped for vulnerabilities relating to the safety of women and children, police are expected to use the information to identify areas requiring focused surveillance, preventive intervention and regular monitoring.

The police also identified 436 sensitive families and repeat domestic violence victims during the week.

The exercise is intended to provide a basis for targeted intervention and continued follow-up with families and victims considered vulnerable to recurring incidents.

Public spaces were another focus, with 1,033 safety audits conducted at locations where women and children could potentially face increased vulnerability.

The audits aim to identify gaps in existing safety arrangements and enable preventive or corrective measures. The drive also included 443 follow-up and welfare actions involving previous victims.

The exercise aims to ensure support continues beyond the initial complaint or police intervention. Counselling formed another component, with 653 counselling interventions carried out during the first week.

Choudhary said early counselling and family-level intervention were intended to prevent domestic and interpersonal conflicts from escalating or recurring.

Police teams also conducted 1,207 safety audits at schools and colleges, focusing on vulnerabilities within and around educational institutions and strengthening preventive measures for children, adolescents and young women.

The largest intervention by volume was self-defence training, with 12,829 women and children taking part during the first week. The programme forms part of the drive’s community-based approach to safety alongside conventional policing and victim support.

The first week’s activities have therefore brought together location-based vulnerability mapping, identification of vulnerable families and victims, public-place and educational-institution audits, victim follow-up, counselling and self-defence training.

The state police have launched the drive as a month-long exercise aimed at strengthening measures for the safety of women and children and preventing crimes against them.

The first-week assessment is intended to help police leadership examine not only the number of interventions undertaken but also whether they reduce vulnerabilities, improve safety and strengthen protection for women and children.

–IANS

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