Vimochana

Vimochana's 1997-98 study on the unnatural deaths of women within marriages spurred the initiation of preventive efforts within two urban communities in Bangalore: Jagajeevan Ram Nagar and Ulsoor, which had the highest rate of such deaths in the city. This endeavor has since extended to encompass regions ranging from Sudham Nagar to Kasturba Nagar. The primary focus of the community engagement centers around issues of domestic violence, with a deeper exploration into intimate partner violence, falling under the umbrella of Gender-Based Violence. The interactions that occur within communities are exceptionally diverse, encompassing caste, linguistic, and religious minorities. Vimochana adopts a community-centric approach to enhance awareness and strengthen communal bonds. The aim is to unify community voices, sharing their truths, life experiences, and personal recollections. This collaborative work has cultivated local women's networks, serving as vigilant monitors of domestic violence within their neighborhoods. These networks also establish grassroots committees that offer an alternative form of justice for domestic violence victims. When instances of violence emerge, network members swiftly provide assistance, whether in the form of sustenance, shelter, or accompanying victims to the police station. Working alongside families, they strive for a secure resolution of disputes.

Established in 1993, the women's crisis intervention center known as Angala, meaning "The Courtyard," was conceived to systematically extend support to women facing violence and abuse within and outside of marriage. This encompasses providing moral, social, and legal aid, enabling these women to live lives of dignity, free from violence.
The women who seek our assistance represent diverse communities and socioeconomic strata, spanning rural and urban settings, as domestic violence knows no boundaries. The commitment to each case extends beyond initial counselling and intervention, encompassing a comprehensive follow-up process that often takes a considerable amount of time. This includes endeavours like securing employment for women, arranging for orphanage admissions for children whose mothers cannot care for them, post-compromise house visits, facilitating medical treatment, engagement in other gatherings, awareness and sharing events, as well as locating shelter options.

Angala, the crisis center, paved the path for the creation of Kuteera (The Refuge) in 2001. Kuteera stands as a secure and protected haven for women who are victims or survivors of violence. Situated in Vemgal, Kolar, approximately 60 kilometers from Bangalore, this space serves as a sanctuary where women can recover and rediscover their inner strength, enabling them to lead independent, creative lives devoid of violence. Nestled within a rural environment, the shelter not only collaborates with women's groups across various villages, particularly concerning violence against women, but also emphasizes integrating practices of organic cultivation to foster self-sustaining communities.

Against declining sex ratios in the districts of Mandya, Ramnagar and Channapatna - In response to the alarming decline in sex ratios from 976 in 1961 to 945 in 1991 and 927 in 2001, a campaign was launched in 2001. This campaign aimed to frame the issue within the context of contemporary violence, particularly addressing the misuse of new reproductive technologies by certain unethical medical practices that have directly contributed to this crisis. The campaign is primarily centered in the Mandya district, known for its towns with some of the country's lowest sex ratios.
To strengthen the resource base of women - Spanning three years, this campaign unites young girls and boys, women and men from varied backgrounds and sectors with a singular purpose: to confront and dismantle the pervasive culture of silence and normalization surrounding violence against women and girls. This effort is concentrated in urban slums of Bijapur, along with Bidar Taluk in the Bidar district, Chennapattna Taluk in Ramnagar district, and Kollegal Taluk in Chamaraj Nagar district.