The Bihar government has decided to appoint 140 full-time ‘protection officers’ across the state to support women affected by domestic violence more effectively. The decision has been taken in view of the rising number of domestic violence cases in the state. The state government has already taken several steps to ensure justice for women facing domestic violence through the enactment of the Dowry Prohibition Act, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, among others. The number of cases registered and disposed of relating to crimes committed against women increased in 2022-23, when compared to the previous year, according to the Bihar Economic Survey report (2023-24) released by the state government last year. The government has also initiated the process of opening 11 additional ‘one stop centres (OSCs) in certain districts to supportWomen affected by violence, in private and public spaces, within the family, community and at the workplace more effectively, an official said. The ‘OSC’ is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in 2015 to provide integrated support and assistance to women.
