Jindal Stainless Foundation and The Women of Elements Trust launch a helpline for domestic violence victims
Project Stainless Aashiyana aimed to educate victims about their legal rights
Jindal Stainless Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Jindal Stainless, and The Women of Elements Trust launched project ‘Stainless Aashiyana’ to help women and children who are victims of domestic violence in the country. Under this project, a free helpline number – 9310283304 has been set up to offer counsel and suggest legal recourse to callers. Awareness sessions on domestic violence will also be organised in Delhi and Haryana and pro-bono legal support will be provided to people from low income group.
Commenting on the launch of helpline, Chairperson, Jindal Stainless Foundation, Ms Deepika Jindal said, “Domestic violence is not confined to rural or urban women. We need to work on this agenda together – as a society, as responsible citizens and as protectors of the state machinery. In spite of strict legislation, women continue to suffer due to lack of knowledge and the dearth of access to these avenues. We are happy to partner with The Women of Element Trust for this initiative and we believe that together we will bring about great relief to many who suffer silently in their homes.”
Project Stainless Aashiyana is a means to provide women and children a safe space to reach out and share their incidents with counsellors who can empower them. The helpline will not only provide legal counsel to victims, but also explain various avenues and recourses available to them for individual cases.
As per data estimates from National Commission for Women, India witnessed a spike in domestic violence cases with the onset of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, between March 25 and May 31, 1,477 complaints were recorded which is more than those received in the previous 10 years. In many cases, victims do not even report such abuses due to the social stigma or pressure of bringing the court or police in to the house.
Jindal Stainless Foundation and The Women of Elements Trust will publicise the information of the helpline initiative through various stakeholders like Police Authorities, lawyers at the Crime Against Women Cells of Delhi Police, etc., to make sure that victims can get immediate help.
About Jindal Stainless Foundation (JSF)
JSF, a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, was established with the aim of implementing various social and environmental initiatives through direct & indirect methods. It is the CSR executing arm of Jindal Stainless and caters to relevant issues such as Community Development, Education, Integrated Health Care, Skill Development, Women Empowerment, Environment & Business, and Human Rights.
About The Women of Elements Trust
The Woman of the Elements Trust provides free counselling and legal aid to women and child victims of domestic violence, who are below the earning capacity of Rs. 5,000 a month. The long-term objectives of the Trust are to provide free legal aid across all district courts in Delhi, to implement skill development programmes in order to make women financially self-sufficient, and to provide financial support for the education of children who have suffered domestic abuse.
