Child-friendly centre opened in Ggn police headquarters

Gurugram: For a city which has grabbed headlines in the recent past for rising sexual crimes against children, the Gurugram Police has now set up a special centre for victimised children. This is the second such initiative taken by the district police.

Earlier, the first child-friendly police station, named Phulwari, was set up at Sector-51 police station. The objective of the professionals in this unique police station will be to not only deal with children affected by sexual crimes but also those affected by domestic violence and other major misdeeds in their households.

To make sure that the children do not have fear in their minds while coming to the police station, a separate route has been created for them. This route will not be used by the regular visitors to the police station. No police professional at the police station will be in uniforms and will deal with the visitors in normal clothing.

Besides the presence of police professionals, there is also going to be a psychologist who will deal with the troubled children. There will also be a caretaker for looking after the children during their stay in the centre that has been set up in collaboration with an NGO.

Children's fairytale books, toys, puzzles, art and craft items and a playground will be made available at the police station.

"Often there is fear which normal people especially young children have about the police. This prevents them from being candid with the police professionals.

"In our interactions, we have witnessed children who have suffered from sexual abuses or from other misdeeds are too nervous to speak anything. A perception has to be built where people realise that policemen are humane in their nature," said a senior police official

"These are certain initiatives which normal people do not associate with police. However, the child-friendly centre is the continuation of the counselling centres that Gurugram Police has initiated in the past," he added.