A women counsellor from Mandya district has established the National Human Rights for Men’s Protection Trust, a non-profit organization aimed at supporting men who face harassment. BJP MLC AH Vishwanath has been appointed as the honorary president of the trust, while former MLC KT Srikantegowda will serve as its national president.
The trust was registered in Pandavapura four days ago. Rajani Raj, the founding president and a counsellor, emphasized that the initiative is not intended to be against women. 'As a counsellor, I encounter many instances where men are also exploited and harassed. To help such men facing problems from women, we formed this trust,' she said.
Rajani added that the trust will also assist women in distress. 'We will provide counselling for both men and women, work to resolve differences, and promote reconciliation,' she explained. She noted that in recent times, many innocent men have been targeted, and while she has helped several women get justice, men are often the victims.
EC Ningaraj Gowda, a former member of the University of Mysore syndicate and a BJP functionary, highlighted the lack of statutory bodies for men. 'There are several bodies to support women, but none for men. In this era, men are also subjected to harassment, and laws are sometimes misused to target them. Keeping this in mind, we formed this trust,' he said.
Gowda further stated that men are targeted in many ways and struggle to cope with pressure and humiliation. 'We aim to extend support to such victims at the national level and across states,' he added.
