A support system for women in distress, and each other

“NAMASKAR, MUKHYAMANTRI mahila sahyog sewa mein aapka swagat hai. Apni samasya batayein,” says the woman to the caller on the other end of the phone line. She is busy attending to distress calls on the Delhi Commission for Women’s 181 helpline during the night shift.

She and her colleagues are huddled in a room on the third floor of the Delhi secretariat, close to the offices of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his staff. Most of these women support their families, some of them are even sole breadwinners.

The night shift suits many of them. “We study and take care of our families during the day, and work at night,” says one of the employees. Working together has brought them closer. “We are a support system for each other. If anyone faces a problem, or there is tension at home or work, we help each other,” another staffer says.

Soon the phone rings again and another staffer utters the customary greeting. After a patient hearing, the woman assures the caller that a PCR has been alerted.

When asked if they get perturbed on hearing so many distress calls, one of the women says, “It is always a pleasure to help women in need. We help them route their complaints to the right authorities.”

As one of them giggles, her friend reveals that they also get prank calls. “We do get random calls. Some callers are just bored. We tell them it is not right. Then we get complaints about a couple fighting in the neighbourhood. It is amusing at times,” she says before taking another call. The 181 also directs calls to hospitals, if required. What if the staffers feel hungry? “They have dinner in shifts. There are refreshments and coffee machines,” said a senior official. Cabs pick them up for duty and drop them back home.

The call centre works in three shifts — 8 am to 4 pm, 4 pm to 12 am and 12 am to 8 am. The night shift has fewer staff as, officials believe, there are few calls at night. Earlier, social activists used to head the 181 service, which was under the chief minister. Now it is headed by the DCW.