The Department of Child and Family Protection has embarked on training of 22 call takers on how to respond to cases of Gender Based Violence and Violence Against Children in a three day workshop at Police headquarters, Naguru.
The workshop was on Tuesday opened by ACP Hillary Kulayige, the Deputy Director Chief Political Commissariat, who urged the officers to be courteous and have customer care as they talk/ receive calls from the victims/reporters of Gender Based Violence cases.
According to SSP Atuhaire Maureen, the Ag. CP Child and Family Protection Department, the toll-free helpline was established during the lockdown to enable increased reporting of GBV and VAC cases, provide psychosocial support to the victims, provide telephone counseling services to the clients and link clients in need of care and protection to services or service providers, following up of reported cases with the area police commanders and to raise awareness to the public on human rights, and collect data for policy formulation.
In May 2020, the Uganda Police Force with support from UN Women established a Gender Based Violence (GBV) Toll free Helpline (0800199195) through its line Department of Child and Family Protection.
Important to note is that the movement of people had been restricted and made it difficult for victims of GBV and VAC to report cases to police. Since it’s inception in May 2020 to June 2021, a total of 2040 cases have been reported and responded to.
On a positive note, men are also using the helpline to report Domestic Violence Cases. The UPF management has plans to establish GBV helplines both at the regional and district levels in a bid to extend services closer to the victims/survivors of GBV and other members of the public.
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