SAHIWAL: The district police, in collaboration with the education department, has engaged over 150 headmistresses and headteachers from public and private sectors to raise awareness about sexual harassment within and outside school premises.

Headteachers from 30 private schools of Sahiwal and Chichawatni tehsils were invited for a dialogue.

The primary goal of the 120-minute dialogue was to educate headteachers and enable them to understand and subsequently inform their girl students about the distinction between ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’.

The session was held at the Main Hall of the Government Comprehensive High School.

Faisal Shahzad, District Police Officer (DPO), told Dawn the purpose of this initiative was to sensitize female teaching community and encourage them to take responsibility for their students’ safety.

Participants were informed about available police resources, including the Virtual Women Police Center at the Civil Lines Police Station and the Women Complaint Cell at the DPO office, other than 15 emergency numbers.

“The virtual center has been staffed exclusively by female police personnel, where no male staff or visitors are allowed,” the DPO explained to participants.

Female police officers, who also attended the dialogue, shared different on-ground experiences in handling situations where women might become victims of sexual harassment. “By sharing these stories, we empower women to act bravely, swiftly, and sensibly in such situations,” a policewoman told Dawn.

In addition, participants were also introduced to the recently launched CM App, which empowers women to create a safe and secure environment with digital tools.

The meeting was told a help centre had been established in the old city area, frequented by women for shopping, to address daily reports of sexual harassment incidents.

The DPO said only 10-12 per cent of cases were reported to police due to social pressure.

A headteacher from Chichawatni told Dawn female teachers and students should be encouraged to break taboos by not concealing sexual harassment complaints.

Muhammad Ikram, Education CEO, suggested that similar sessions should be conducted in seminaries as well where male and female students could be educated on good and bad touch.

The DPO expressed hope that the Sahiwal police would establish a Women’s Enclave, similar to the one in Gujranwala, where women could receive assistance through a digital key in lodging complaints with other state-run institutions, including the Cyber Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Women Ombudsman Office and Women Protection Center, in addition to police-related facilities.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024