Training of Trainers: Safe Responders to Sexual Violence – An exemplary initiative by Enfold Proactive Health Trust
Mangaluru: The Enfold Proactive Health Trust, in collaboration with Hanns Seidel Stiftung-India, and with support from Mangaluru City Police and the Department of Women and Child Development Mangaluru, and NGOs, successfully conducted a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) program titled “To become Safe Responders in case of Sexual Violence” on July 23rd and 24th, 2024 at AJ Grand Elite, Mangaluru. The event aimed to enhance the skills of key stakeholders in preventing and responding to sexual violence.
An initiative taken at the insistence of the Commissioner of Police, Mangalore City to foster a collaborative approach among various stakeholders and foster discussion on cutting-edge issues of importance, the training was attended by 42 participants from DWCD, Mangaluru City Police, and various local NGOs.
Sidharth Goyal, DCP L&O who attended the session emphasized the necessity of taking informed actions to create safer environments and the role of men, stating, “We need more participation from the male community, they need more awareness, next time we should target that, but every step counts”.
Usman A, Deputy Director of the Department of Women and Child Development, emphasized the necessity of collaboration between police and NGOs to effectively tackle violence against women and children as all these departments work in isolation with very limited opportunities to compliment each other’s efforts and work hand-in-hand. Ms Judith Weinberger-Singh, Director, Hanns Seidel Stiftung-India underscored the transformative role of law enforcement in community interactions; she further emphasized the role of the police department, DWCD, and NGOs as paramount. With the right knowledge of issues related to gender, safety, and rights, and how law enforcement interacts with the communities.
The 1st day of the training was conducted by Dr Sangeeta Saksena discussing Gender Equity and Adolescent Sexuality Education, while Ms Pushpalatha M covered Personal Safety Education. On Day 2, Babu K V focused on the POCSO Act, and Ms Geetha Kulkarni presented updates on Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Sanhita, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam and a special initiative by Shri. Anupam Agrawal, Commissioner of Police, Mangalore City Police about short videos made and circulated on Instagram for public awareness of these new criminal laws. Ms Pushpalatha M also introduced Enfold’s safety apps and demonstrated their features and website sources for key stakeholders. She also emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in combating sexual violence.
Prominent invitees included Ms Geetha, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mangaluru City Police; Ms Pushpalatha M, Director of the Prevention Team, Enfold Proactive Health Trust; Dr T. Arul Roncalli, Program Manager, Hanns Seidel Stiftung-India; and Mr Gururaj GG, Manager – Projects and Liaison with Government, Enfold Proactive Health Trust.
The program successfully fostered supportive networks and equipped participants with the tools needed to address and prevent sexual violence, highlighting the crucial role of partnerships in promoting gender equity and safety for women and children.