Victim Support Centre: A Joint Initiative of Bangladesh Police and 10 NGOs

Everyday, women and children in Bangladesh become victims of vicious crimes including domestic violence, trafficking, acid burn, sexual harassment and rape. These are despicable crimes with traumatic physical, psychological, and social consequences. In addition to the inevitable psychological trauma, survivors face social isolation and ostracism that further damage their self-esteem and seriously undermine their personal and professional futures.

Against this backdrop, Bangladesh Police, with the support of the Police Reform Programme has set up Bangladesh’s first-ever Victim Support Center (VSC) at Tejgaon Thana premises on 17 February 2009. Bangladesh Police has also signed Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on 18 December 2008 with the 10 NGOs for ensuring integrated services to the women and children. The establishment of a Victim Support Center  within a policing environment and staffed by trained female police officers is a groundbreaking strategy that will encourage victims to report crime to police in a safe and secure environment whilst accessing  professional services.

The primary role of victim support is to comfort and assist victims in the aftermath of the crime from which they have suffered, to advise them of the remedial processes and to guide them through the ensuing prosecution of the person accused of the crime. In order to provide appropriate, professional and timely assistance to victims of crime, all staff at the VSC have been provided with specialized training to enhance their capacity to deal with victims and to facilitate and coordinate a support network, engaging health care professionals, social workers, lawyers and different NGOs personnel. The NGOs will work in full co-operation with the VSC and be available to provide assistance and support on a twenty four hour basis. The VSC is operated by the 24 female police officers and NGO representatives.

Objectives:

A victim of crime will receive support from the Victim Support Center irrespective of age, religion, social class. The objectives of Victim Support Centre are:

(1)         To remove social and cultural barriers and enhance accessibility to report crimes against women and children;

(2)         To provide timely and professional services to the victims;

(3)         To play an effective role in safeguarding victims and in protecting their legal rights;

(4)         To combine efforts of both government and non-government institutions and ensure best services for the victims;

(5)         To protect the victim from repeat victimization;

(6)         To frame effective policy guidelines on prevention of crime and preserve information on crime.

Services provided by the Victim Support Centre: 

A wide-range of services will be provided to victims including emergency shelter and immediate support, health care, legal advice and support, psychological advice and counseling, training and capacity building for rehabilitation of the victim and support for re-integration into family and community.

• Receive victims with honor and dignity;

• Ensure proper environment with a view to providing information to repressed women and children;

• Listen to the victims and find out their problems;

• Register the complaint of the victim;

• Provide assistance with regard to First Information Report (FIR);

• Inform the victim with regard to legal process;

• Provide emergency medical assistance to the victim and to take them to the medical centre in appropriate circumstances;

• Assist in the investigation process and inform the victim about the progress;

• Assist the victim, if needed, by providing information by phone;

• Provide psychosocial counseling

• handle and store the victim’s property in a respectful and secure manner, and when they want their property , return it as soon as practicable;

• Refer to any government and non-government organizations for long term assistance (Shelter, legal aid, physical and mental treatment, integration into family etc.);

• Prevent victims from repeat victimization;

• Receive services from Victim Support Centre staying therein up to five days.

For reestablishing the women and children’s life and building safer Bangladesh we need strong cooperation from relevant government agencies, media, and civil society organizations.

Partner NGOs:

• Ain-o- Shanish Kendra

• Association for Correction and Social Reclamation

• Aparajeyo Bangladesh

• Association for Community Development

• Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association

• Bangladesh legal Aid and Services Trust

• Dhaka Ahsania Mission

• Marie Stopes

• Bangladesh Mohila Parishad

• Acid Survivors Foundation

Contact Address:

Victim Support Centre (Near to Tejgaon Police Station), Farmgate, Dhaka

Telephone: 9110885, Mobile: 01745774487