MARGAO: The women police at the anti-human trafficking unit and Women and Child Protection Unit at the District police headquarters building, at Margao, is apparently concentrating on protecting women and child while ignoring human trafficking as in 2018 they booked only one case of trafficking.
On December 15, 2018 the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit booked one case against a woman for soliciting customers near the Margao Municipal Council garden. In this case, the unit has filed charge-sheet under Section 8 of the Immoral Trafficking Act.
However, in 2018, the Women and Child Protection unit registered 250 cases of family disputes of which 235 have since been disposed following counselling and other remedial measures and 15 cases are still pending.
Most often the disputes arise due to alcoholism or problems with the in-laws and some disputes are related to suspicion on wife’s fidelity.
The police take help of Auda Viegas or Tara Kerkar who head women’s organization to counsel the people having family disputes and very often after the counselling, the problem is resolved and the families are united.
However, there are cases that end up before the Block Development Officer for registering a domestic violence case but the Women and Child Protection Unit had no figures for such cases.
In 2019, the unit has booked four beggars who were using children for begging. Police Inspector Leveleen Dias said they are now patrolling to look out for women soliciting customers or even begging.
