‘Burn injury registry will help survivors get justice’

Authorities will be able to use it for prosecution, says forum chief

The International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC) has advocated to the National Programme for Prevention of Burn Injuries (NPPBI) to include data on the history of burn violence, especially domestic violence, in the national burn registry.

“If you have a history of violence recorded, the authorities will be able to use it for prosecution and investigation, and statements will not be taken at face value. This will in turn do justice to the survivors,” said Prasanna Gettu, founder of PCVC.

While establishing the registry is one of the major objectives of the NPPBI, experts add that including a component on the history of violence is crucial and can add value to the programme. “Ninety per cent women who suffer burn injuries are victims of domestic violence. Even if it is self inflicted, violence plays a role in it. It is important to determine the cause and help the victims accordingly,” said Ms. Gettu.

PCVC, reportedly the only organisation working in this area, has so far rehabilitated around 2,000 women burn victims across the State. It also works with the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in providing psychosocial support to burn victims, where over 150 victims of burn injuries are admitted every month. Ms. Gettu pointed out that in most cases victims who suffer more than 40% burns die and many are not recorded or are put down erroneously as kitchen accidents.

To further strengthen the process, representatives of the organisation will also be discussing the need to have a surveillance mechanism in the programme to ensure that every burn incident or death gets reported.

“Having a registry will help get accurate figures on incidences of burn violence and will in turn help create policies on prevention and interventions for burn survivors and create supportive infrastructure for them,” she said.