109 Helpline: A complaint centre or an info hub?

The toll-free 24/7 National Helpline Centre for Violence Against Women & Children 109, was introduced in 2012 to receive complaints against various forms of women and children abuse and provide services accordingly.

Initially, the helpline number was 10921 and was changed to 109 in 2017.

Established under the Multi-Sectoral Programme on Violence Against Women of the women and children affair's ministry, it was to give appropriate services to victims of domestic violence, child marriage, sexual harassment, physical abuse, dowry, detention, child custody and more.

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However, according to a data analysis, the helpline seems to be restricted to providing information more than giving services.

From January to April 16 this year, 2,68,430 calls were logged. Over 95 percent of them were related to seeking information. In 2023, the figure was 97 percent and the year before, it was 95.

The information they seek range from how to handle violent situations, process of obtaining dowry or alimony, divorce proceedings, reconciling conjugal relationships, etc.

According to 2024 data, among the total calls received, only five percent sought specific services.

Among the five percent, only two percent requested legal assistance and one percent sought police intervention in instances of torture.

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Additionally, 0.22 percent calls were made for emergency medical support due to violence, 0.09 percent specifically sought mental health support, and 0.31 percent calls fell under the miscellaneous categories.

Since its inception, the helpline has experienced a significant rise in popularity, now receiving between 5,000 and 6,000 calls daily.

This uptick represents a notable increase from the previous year, when the average volume of daily calls was approximately 4,500 to 5,000.

An analysis of the calls made in the first quarter of this year shows the helpline handled 230,628 calls, with domestic violence being the reason behind 11.48 percent of them.

Data from the helpline authority showed a surge in domestic violence calls -- 296 per day, up from 254 calls a day in 2023.

Following domestic violence, physical assault made up for 5.96 percent of calls, while sexual assault accounted for 0.13 percent. Calls made for burn and acid injuries each were less than 0.01 percent, while those regarding child marriage and mental torture were 0.13 percent and 8.47 percent.

The largest category, "others", constituted 73.74 percent of calls, reflecting the helpline's diverse concerns.

In 2023, similar patterns were observed -- domestic violence made up 9.71 percent of all calls, physical assault 5.82 percent, and sexual assault 0.16. Mental torture accounted for 7.47 percent, while burn and acid-related cases were each less than 0.01 percent. Calls regarding child marriage was 0.14 percent.

In 2023, the "others" category took the lead as well -- 76.64 percent.

Dr Prakash Kanti Chowdhury, director of the multi-sectoral project, noted that some callers seek information, such as legal aid contacts, which the helpline provides.

"Providing this information is also a service, as callers benefit from it even if they seek further assistance elsewhere."

Raisul Islam, in-charge and programme officer at the helpline, said 45 employees are currently works round-the-clock in three shifts, with 10 trained operators in each.

"Upon receiving a call, the operator tracks the caller's location and provides information or connects them with the local administration, such as the women and child affairs officers, UNOs, upazila education officers, AC land, and police stations.

"For urgent situations that require rescue, local police are dispatched, while medical needs are addressed through OCCs [one stop crisis centres]. Counseling is offered through psychosocial counselors, and interventions for child marriage involve support from the UNO to halt the marriage."

However, according to Raisul, on weekends and during late-night or remote-area calls, they face challenges for such activities.

He also noted cases where "109" played the role of a trusted source of support for women and children in remote areas.

Last February, a five-year-old from Jamalpur's Dewanganj, was raped by a neighbour on her way back from school. Her father, a farmer, felt helpless, while her mother was in shock.

A cousin of the victim took swift action by contacting the 109 helpline, which advised seeking medical help and involving the local authorities. Subsequently, the rapist was arrested and the child was able to receive treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

"If I hadn't made that call, we wouldn't have received such prompt support from the UNO and the police …. Relying solely on the UP members of chairman might not have yielded the same prompt results," said the cousin.

However, there are cases where 109 agents made improper suggestions to callers.

During one such call, a woman sought assistance because her roommate was experiencing cyber harassment by a man she was in a relationship with, who had been sharing her private photos and videos with friends and other roommates.

However, the male agent suggested marrying the harasser as a solution to stop the blackmail.

"When I expressed my shock, he insisted saying families often accept such solutions. He even suggested influencing her family for the marriage. Disappointed, I thanked him and ended the call," she shared.

Terming the suggestion "inappropriate", Dr Prakash said, "This is why we're going to deploy three psycho-social counselors to train the call operators."

He said that in order to minimise call response delays, they are also planning to expand the number of operators to 80.