Organisation : Uttar Pradesh Police
Facility : WPL 1090 Women Power Line Service
Applicable For : Uttar Pradesh
Website : https://www.uppolice.gov.in/article/en/women-power-line
WPL Service :
Women Power Line (WPL) is Uttar Pradesh Police’s answer to a very inimical problem plaguing the Indian society : sexual harassment, and at its roots misogyny shrouded in the patriarchal mindset of our society.
Related : Uttar Pradesh Police Track Call Status : www.statusin.in/24386.html
Research input :
** The roots of widespread crime against women lie deep in our society. In Indian society most girls grow up listening to these two common words “IGNORE” & “TOLERATE”.
The young girls are repeatedly taught and trained not to raise their voice against wrongs whatsoever they are. In a way these girls are regimented for many long years to first ignore and then tolerate.
In fact our society systematically kills their resistance to wrong doings and she starts tolerating. She tolerates simple teasing, then serious harassment, groping, stalking, vulgar comments.
When she joins work place again she tolerates, and when she gets married again she is subjected to humiliating domestic violence. And this helplessness stems from women’s lack of readiness to raise their voices largely on account of an apathetic attitude of authorities towards such crimes.
This encourages heinous crimes such as acid attacks, dowry deaths, suicides, rapes, etc. The data from NCRB corroborates the findings as 92% heinous offences against women do take place in home by someone known.
** So if we have to make a society where women have self respect and dignity we will have to devise a methodology where we teach & train our young girls to speak up, and not to tolerate slightest of non-sense, to bring “Zero Tolerance” against Crime against Women.
For this these young girls will have to speak up loud and raise concerns. But big question remains, who would listen?
** WPL-1090 is an answer to that very problem. Legal reforms must find an echo in social reforms and they figured that one way to achieve this is by encouraging women to talk by giving them a dedicated platform that is secure, supportive, discreet, and most importantly, empowered to act. WPL-1090 became that platform.
The Scope of WPL-1090 :
The scope of the project is to curb any kind of harassment caused to women because of gender insensitivity. It includes harassment caused by Obscene/Objectionable or Lewd phone calls, SMS or objectionable material posted on social networking sites and harassment in public transport or public places, workplaces or homes.
Guiding Principles :
** Victims’ identity will never be disclosed.
** Only trained lady police officers will respond to victims.
** Victims will not be called to any police station.
** WPL will remain in touch with the victim even after the problem is completely resolved.
** One State One Number 1090
Simplified Procedures :
Keeping the procedure simple was utmost priority of WPL Team. The objective was to make a hassle free, easy to use legitimate system that takes care of our social ethos and practices.
A needy woman can reach 1090 by almost all possible means of communication available today, and round the clock, round the year. WPL ensures comfort and trust for women by Simplified Procedures.
** The identity of complainant is never disclosed.
** Only women police officers attend the complaints.
** The complainant is never called to the police station
** As soon as the complaint is registered a ref-ID of is sent to the victim
** The WPL team pursues the complaint until the problem is fully resolved
i. WPL team takes at least three feedbacks over a period of two months even after the resolution of complaint.
ii. Cases of domestic violence are resolved empathetically but with firmness. WPL uses various social pressures to correct the errant behaviors. Initiating legal action remains last resort when all other efforts to improve the behavior fail.
iii. WPL team keeps on sending bulk SMS on various occasions, to all the complainants to boost their confidence in WPL 1090.
iv. WPL also sends bulk SMS to all perpetrators to remind and warn them to keep their conduct upright as there is one agency that is keeping an eye on them.
In every complaint made by concerned women and victims, the WPL team strictly adheres the above principles that make the whole exercise very simple for the complainants and victims.
In every complaint made by concerned women and victims, the WPL team strictly adheres the above principles that make the whole exercise very simple for the complainants and victims.