Safe House has rehabilitated 30 women victims of violence in the past few months

Kathmandu, November 5

Workers at the government-run Safe House, a shelter home for vulnerable girls who go through traumatic experiences, have demanded that such shelters be built all over the country.

The shelter house has been providing temporary shelter to women in trouble. It was established as a counselling and rehabilitation centre for women victims of violence.

Currently, Safe Home has branches in 15 districts across the country. All of them have six to seven community service centres at the local level.

Workers at Safe House said the organisation had been successful in restoring troubled women back into family and society and thus the Department of Woman and Children should establish more shelter houses for women.

Victims of rape and rape attempt, victims of abusive husband and family members, elderly women thrown out of their homes, and married women evicted from their husband’s home for not bringing dowry are normally provided shelter and counselling by Safe House.

After proper counselling, family members of such victims are called and an effort is made for reconciliation. In most cases, family members take back such victims. The reconciliation efforts are made in the presence of police.

Safe House in-charge Urmila Ranjitkar said, “Victims of violence and harassment should be given shelter in a proper environment. This can be made possible only through collective efforts, so we also demand that the government establish shelter homes for such women all across the country.”

Safe House not only provides counselling to the victims but also works with the community to raise awareness of the negative impacts of violence against women, she added.

Safe House branches in Kavre and Sunsari have rehabilitated more than 30 women victims of violence in the past few months.

Ranjitkar said, “The task of rehabilitating abused women back into their families is challenging. However, we have been successful in most of the cases. We have been able to give a new life to rape victims and reconcile couples on the verge of divorce.”