The West Bengal Commission for Women stall at the International Kolkata Book Fair received around 30 complaints related to domestic abuse and crime against women, an official said.

Forms were kept the the West Bengal Commission of Women stall to enable women visiting the book fair to file complaints, the official said.

The book fair was held from January 18 to 31.

West Bengal Commission for Women Chairperson Leena Gangopadhyay told PTI that around 30 complaints have been received at the stall related to domestic abuse, both physical and mental, apart from other forms of crime against women and senior commission officials, manning the stall, immediately acted on the complaints depending on the nature of abuse.

"Forms have been kept in the stall to enable any woman to lodge a complaint, apart from guiding her for any redressal against atrocities and we keep identities of the complainants secret", she said.

"The number of complaints received at the commission stall will be around 30 since the opening of the book fair on January 18," she said.

To a question, Gangopadhyay said this was the second year the commission had opened a stall at the Kolkata book fair "as we felt the need to reach out to the public, including women, to let them know how we support women in cases of deprivation of their rights and violation of laws to give protection to women.

To a question she said, "Yes, after the COVID-19 pandemic we felt the need to have an active presence in one of the biggest events of the city which is frequented by lakhs of visitors as domestic violence against women had spurted during lockdown and we used to get regular phone calls every day from the victim on an average during that time. The situation has not changed much afterwards".

She said the stall distributed booklets listing its statutory powers and to spread awareness and its pre-litigation counselling and complaint cell and other activities.

Gangopadhyay earlier said at a panel discussion on relationships at press corner that the commission had acted on the complaint of a 78-year-old woman against her 82-year-old husband about continuing physical abuse after finding the complaint about recent physical torture of her to be true.

"The elderly man appeared to be unapologetic and admitted beating his wife as he bore all her expenses in all these years, there could not be any reconciliation and the woman's wish for divorce were granted in which the commission stood by her. Her two daughters also supported her", Gangopadhyay said.

She said "In the present days, both women and men are not willing to continue relationships if they are not happy with the arrangement. So far women are concerned if they undergo trauma and torture, unlike in past, they are not willing to take it any more.

Gangopadhyay said on a daily basis, the commission is hosting sessions to create awareness about everyday issues and crisis faced by women from their safety to health issues which are attended by experts.

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