Rourkela, Feb. 9: The taluk legal service committee of Rourkela yesterday organised an awareness programme on rights and protection of women from domestic violence and other kinds of harassment.

The awareness camp sought to educate girl students about different legal provisions regarding domestic violence, sexual harassment at work place and other such abuses they might face in life.

Senior advocate Girish Mohapatra said that additional district judge-cum-chairman of the committee Anand Chandra Behera, second additional district judge T.P. Rath and other senior advocates spoke on how the legal system provided protection to girls and women against sexual harassment and domestic violence.

“Even the central government had passed a bill for the safety of women at their in-laws’ place. Despite that women continue to be ill-treated in the hands of their husbands as they lack of knowledge of the law,” said Mohapatra.

The judges and the senior lawyers answered various questions put forward by the students.

“Such awareness camps help students particularly girl and women students learn many things which would be helpful to them in the coming days,” said Soudamini Bhuyan, a college principal.

Some students said that they saw their mothers or other female members suffering silently the torture by male members, but were not complaining.

“The lack of legal knowledge often stops us from taking any step. Such events can help us to protect ourselves,” said Nisha Singh, a student.