Prerana has a nearly 30-year legacy with an extensive history of dedicated work with victims of sexual violence. Our journey commenced in the heart of Mumbai's red-light district, Kamathipura. Throughout the years, we have actively intervened in thousands of cases, with a predominant focus on supporting women and young girls who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation & trafficking and other forms of sexual violence. Our grassroots presence has been instrumental in shaping laws related to the redressal of sexual offenses against women and girls since the early 2000s.
As of 2024, we are proudly extending our reach to seven districts: Mumbai City & Suburban, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Pune, Satara and Nashik where we collaborate with local child protection systems. Our engagement strategy involves forming crucial partnerships with local Child Welfare Committees, serving as a vital link for the referral of victims of sexual violence. Following these referrals, we conduct comprehensive initial assessments, often in the form of Social Investigation Reports and rehabilitation care plans. These reports empower the Child Welfare Committees to make informed decisions regarding the child's rehabilitation, always focusing on the child's best interests.
Tailoring our approach to the nature of each referral, our dedicated team follows up on various facets of the child's rehabilitation journey. This encompasses following up on their safety and security at home with their families or in some cases temporarily within a Children’s Home, addressing educational needs, exploring vocational or livelihood opportunities, and facilitating compensation processes. In specific cases, we extend our support to legal proceedings independently or in collaboration with legal partners. Our aim is to integrate a structured case management approach to our case work interventions.
The Aagaaz project team consists of 7 social case workers. With a continuous series of impactful activities within our program progressing each month, we strive to improve and help, all aimed at making a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.
Specialized Social Case Workers (SSCW) Program
As Prerana has delved deeper into supporting child victims of sexual violence as well as those rescued from the sex trade across districts in Maharashtra, we've identified a critical shortage of social case workers. This lack of timely support for victims of sexual violence and children in need causes further distress to these vulnerable individuals.
To address this gap, Prerana has evolved a comprehensive program that trains qualified/interested individuals as skilled social case workers, for immediate deployment within their district.
A social case worker is a vital link between clients and their social, economic, and political environment. Social caseworkers coordinate with stakeholders like government agencies, service providers, law enforcement, and the community to facilitate the casework process. While they may not provide all services themselves, their role as a mobilizer and facilitator is crucial in supporting clients' access programs and services offered by other agencies and overtime empower them.
The SSCW program spans 12 months and is designed to develop specialized social casework skills across Maharashtra. Currently implemented in Thane, Pune, Nashik, and Ratnagiri, we aim to expand this program to other districts like Raigad, Palghar, Solapur & Sangli.
Over 150 individuals have been trained in our first training cycle between 2020 and 2022. The second cycle, initiated in early 2023, is envisaged to reach another 150 individuals by 2026.