Resources

Contacts for agencies providing information and support on gender, sexuality and associated issues

Childhood and teenage concerns

Asansol Udan: Undertakes gender equality awareness generation among adolescents and youth in Shitla village, Asansol, Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, and other districts of the state like Birbhum, Kolkata, Malda, Murshidabad and Purba Medinipur through workshops in educational institutions and community spaces, theatre, music and publications. Contact: 0091 98009 36639, 86530 92300 (preferably weekends); udansrijan@gmail.com; www.asansoludan.org; Facebook: www.facebook.com/asansoludan; no service charge.

New Alipore Praajak Development Society, Kolkata: Praajak works with children, adolescents and young adults in the areas of child neglect, abuse, exploitation and the juvenile justice system in urban and rural West Bengal; provides information on child rights and referrals on non-medical development concerns of children and adolescents. Contact: Sanhita Sen at 0091 90070 62034 or Bipul Thakur at 0091 97481 05225; no service charge.

Creative pursuits

Kolkata Sanved, Kolkata: Offers dance movement therapy to children, adolescents, youth and women affected by violence, trafficking and HIV; young people living in red light areas, slums and villages; people living with mental illness; care givers; school / college students and faculty; social workers and corporate personnel – therapy sessions in community settings (where the learners live, study or work) are prioritized over clinic-based sessions; operates all over Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan and West Bengal in India, and other countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and Thailand; conducts training of trainer courses for aspiring dance movement therapy practitioners. Contact: Sohini Chakraborty, Founder Director at Flat No. 2C, Poulomi Apartment, 23B Jatin Bagchi Road, Kolkata 700 029; 0091 33 3511 5381 (Mon-Fri, 10 am to 6 pm); kolkatasanved@gmail.com; www.kolkatasanved.org; service charge details on request.

 

Sapphire Creations Dance Workshop, Kolkata: Provides professional skills building in contemporary dance, fitness and movement orientation, and addresses social issues through dance; open to people from all over West Bengal and elsewhere; classes held every Tuesday and Saturday at the organization's centre in Salt Lake area of Kolkata, 5.30 to 8.30 pm. Contact: 0091 98362 71565; for more information, please visit www.sapphirecreations.org.

Dealing with disabilities

Sruti Disability Rights Centre, Kolkata: Provides information and counselling on all kinds of disabilities – covers Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal. Contact: 5A, R. K. Ghosal Road, Kolkata 700 042; sruti.darc@gmail.com; www.pathwaytojustice.com; no service charge.

World Without GNE Myopathy India: Aims to generate awareness in the larger public and clinicians on GNE myopathy, a rare genetic disorder that manifests itself in early adulthood and leads to progressive wasting of muscles of legs and hands; supports research efforts to find a cure for the disease and informs patients about clinical trials and other resources. Contact: Shilpi Bhattacharya at wwgm.india@gmail.com; for more information please visit www.gne-myopathy.org; no service charge.

Dealing with incest / child sexual abuse

RAHI, Delhi / Kolkata: Provides support and therapeutic services (individual therapy, group therapy and survivor social action) for women (18+ years) survivors of incest / child sexual abuse, non-abusive family members of victims and survivors, and partners of survivors; provides direct individual therapy in Delhi and referrals for individual therapy in Kolkata; provides group services (two-day survivor healing workshops and Firebird programme for survivor social action) and referral services in Delhi, Kolkata and other cities; conducts education and training on incest / child sexual abuse for social workers, mental health professionals, college students, school teachers, parents and corporate sector in Delhi, Kolkata and other parts of India.

Contact for information: Delhi – 0091 11 4160 7055 (Mon-Fri, 11 am to 4 pm), info@rahifoundation.org; Kolkata – kolkata@rahifoundation.org.

Contact for counselling: Delhi – counsellor@rahifoundation.org; Kolkata – kolkata@rahifoundation.org.

For more information, please visit www.rahifoundation.org; service charge – individual therapy Rs.800-1,200 per hour (subsidized rates on discretion), other charges decided on as and when basis.

Dealing with rural and urban poverty

Responsible Charity, Kolkata: Provides educational support to children and adults in slums of Kolkata, generates donations of used clothes in good condition and stationery supplies for slum communities, provides emergency services – medical / hygienic supplies / fire relief – to slum communities. Contact: 22 Shaktigarh, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032; 0091 33 4004 8442 (Mon, Wed, Fri: 10 am to 5 pm; Tue, Thu: 10 am to 8 pm); www.responsiblecharity.org; Facebook: www.facebook.com/responsiblecharity?ref=br_tf.

Dealing with violence against women

Swayam, Kolkata: Provides direct support services for women survivors of violence and their children, including counselling, psychotherapy, legal advice and aid, follow-up of cases with the police, career counselling, vocational training, and referrals for shelter and employment; conducts workshops to facilitate women’s empowerment, expand their social networks and promote mental health; deploys film, theatre, music and creative writing as tools for promoting creativity and talent of survivors; covers Hooghly, Howrah, Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas districts in West Bengal, and other parts of India and beyond the borders in collaboration with other agencies. Contact: 9/2B Deodar Street, Kolkata 700 019; swayam@swayam.info; www.swayam.info; Facebook: www.facebook.com/endingviolenceagainstwomen; no service charge.

Helpline numbers: 0091 98300 79448, 98302 04393, 98302 04322, 98307 37030, 98307 47030, 90739 16030, 90739 17030, 90739 10040 (all numbers Mon-Fri 10 am to 6 pm; first and third Sat of the month 10 am to 2 pm).

Gender, sex and sexuality

All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association (AMaNA), Imphal: Brings together community groups of transgender and other queer people in Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Imphal East, Imphal West, Senapati, Thoubal and other districts of Manipur and facilitates access to legal aid and social welfare schemes; organizes public awareness and community events across north-eastern India. Contact: Santa Khurai, Secretary; nupimanbi@gmail.com; no service charge. 

Amitie’ Trust, Domjur: Provides emotional support and human rights-based services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal. Contact: Aparna Banerjee, Managing Trustee at 0091 98748 71578 (Mon-Fri, 12-7 pm); amitie.trust@yahoo.com; no service charge. 

Gaylaxy – Empowering Expressions, Online Magazine: Provides news and views on health, law, politics, music, cinema, literature, activism and other issues of interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in India and elsewhere. Published in English and Hindi. Contact: editor@gaylaxymag.com; www.gaylaxymag.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/gaylaxymagazine; Twitter handle: @gaylaxymagazine. 

Humsafar Trust, Mumbai: Provides emotional and community support, information, counselling, STI/HIV prevention, care, support and treatment, nutrition advice and legal aid to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, including those living with HIV, in Mumbai Metro and Thane areas; counselling services cover issues of gender and sexuality, coming out, marriage pressure, relationships, family counselling, spouse disclosure and health; runs resource-cum-drop-in-centre for community events and provides access to books and films on gender and sexuality. Contact: 0091 22 2667 3800, 2665 0547 (Mon-Fri, 12-8.30 pm); info@humsafar.org; www.humsafar.org; no service charge.

Orinam, Chennai: Provides peer / community support, information on gender and sexuality (both online and offline), counselling, legal aid and crisis intervention support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their parents, other family members and friends in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. Contact: www.orinam.net (contact form at www.orinam.net/contact/); Twitter handle: @ChennaiPride; orinamwebber@gmail.com (all emails answered within 24-48 hours) – if you want to be called back, please leave name, phone number and best time to call in your email messages.

Rainbow Room, Kolkata: Provides safe space for LGBTIQA+ people and their allies in and around Kolkata to meet, network, share and build social connections; organizes day or occasion-specific events to create more engagement and learning. Contact: Mahua Seth and Upamanyu Sengupta at 0091 98368 44227 (phone and WhatsApp); Facebook: www.facebook.com/therainbowroomkolkata; Instagram: instagram.com/therainbowroomkolkata. 

Sappho for Equality, Kolkata: Provides peer counselling and therapeutic assistance to LGBTIQA+ people living in eastern India, especially people assigned female at birth; runs Chetana resource-cum-drop-in-centre for members, newcomers and people seeking information on gender and sexuality issues; publishes newsletter Swakanthe (In Our Own Voice) in English and Bengali; organizes life skills workshops, academic conferences, mass awareness campaigns, and film festivals, and offers internship opportunities to students and researchers. Contact: 0091 98315 18320; sappho1999@gmail.com; www.sapphokolkata.in; no service charge. 

Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents, Mumbai: Provides emotional and social support to parents of LGBTIQA+ children and often also to the children – across India. Contact: Nilakshi Roy, Core Group Member, sweekar.therainbowparents@gmail.com; Facebook: m.facebook.com/1604394682985367/; Instagram: instagram.com/sweekartherainbowparents. 

Swikriti, Kolkata: Provides community support, information and counselling on gender, sexuality and sexual health, referrals for STI/HIV and tuberculosis counselling, testing and treatment, legal aid and livelihood support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in northern Kolkata, neighbouring areas in North 24 Parganas district and Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia districts of West Bengal; publishes journal Swikriti Patrika in English and Bengali. Contact: Susanta Pramanik, President at swikriti2003@hotmail.com; swikriti_03@yahoo.co.in; helpline 0091 94343 33642 (daily 10 am to 12 pm and 5-9 pm) and 0091 98317 43608 (7-10 pm weekdays, 10 am to 7 pm weekends); no service charge but professionals / agencies referred to may have service charges. 

The Kinky Collective: Shares information and builds understanding about bondage, domination, sado-masochism (BDSM), kink and associated issues of gender, sexuality, human rights, consent and safety through workshops and online spaces; undertakes sensitization of the general public, social activists, media persons and mental health professionals through meetings, presentations and cultural events. Contact: thekinkygroup@gmail.com.

Xomonnoy, Guwahati: Provides information and peer counselling support to entire spectrum of queer people in Assam; guides them in dealing with sexual assault, domestic violence and bullying in schools and colleges; provides mental health, sexual health and legal aid referrals; helps queer individuals and groups connect with each other across North-East India; organizes monthly community meetings and other community events. Contact: Shivalal Gautam at xomonnoy@gmail.com; 0091 96787 17374, 96789 91121 or 86013 91357 – available 24x7; Facebook: www.facebook.com/Xomonnoy/; Instagram: www.instagram.com/xomonnoy/; no service charge.

Mental health

Anjali Mental Health Rights Organization, Kolkata: Provides mental health referral services to people with psycho-social disabilities in West Bengal; runs community mental health programmes in different parts of the state: Coochbehar (Coochbehar district), Kamarhati, Khardah, Rajarhat-Gopalpur (North 24 Parganas district) and Paschim Bishnupur (South 24 Parganas district); partners government-run mental health hospitals in Berhampore (Baharampur) and Kolkata for rehabilitation measures. Contact: Sudeshna Basu at 0091 33 2290 3711 (Mon-Sat, except second Sat of the month, 11 am to 5 pm); www.anjalimentalhealth.org; Facebook: The Mind Matters – Anjali Mental Health Rights Organization. 

Dialogue, Mumbai: Provides relationship counselling, parenting counselling, sexuality counselling (particularly for queer people – on coming out and family support issues), HIV related counselling, psycho-social counselling, psychometric testing and psychoanalysis. Contact: Jarvis K. V. at 0091 97029 47131 or jarvis.varghese62@gmail.com; Hemangi M. at 0091 98330 44776 or mhaprolkarh@gmail.com; consultations take place at Seawoods Hospital, Navi Mumbai (Sun, 6-8 pm) and Mandapeshwar Hospital (Sat-Sun, 5-8 pm); service charge – Rs.500 per session, charges for psychometric testing depend on nature of test administered. 

Samikshani, Kolkata: A not-for-profit organization of mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, psycho-analysts and psycho-therapists) that provides counselling and a range of other mental health services at low costs; conducts mental health awareness generation for the masses, and training courses for parents, teachers, social workers and mental health professionals. Contact: 37 South End Park, Kolkata 700 029; 0091 33 2466 3504 (Mon-Sat, 11 am to 9 pm); samikshani@yahoo.com.

Support for caregivers

Caregivers Link, Delhi / Mumbai / Pune: Aims to provide support and services to people who take on the role of a caregiver at home to someone chronically or terminally ill, or ability challenged; currently in the process of creating self-help and support group resources for family caregivers to those who are mentally ill or facing mental health issues; has begun undertaking supportive, rehabilitative animal assisted activity programmes for children and adults in Delhi in collaboration with Animal Angels Foundation, and is moving towards providing animal assisted therapy; networks with caregivers, non-caregivers, medical professionals, support groups, and self-help groups; covers Delhi, Mumbai and Pune with various activities, plans to extend activities to other places as well. Contact: 0091 98198 42520 (Mon-Fri, 10 am to 1 pm) – call or send text message (SMS) with basic details; caregiverslink@gmail.com; www.caregiverslinkonline.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/105789559517480/.

Note: Caregivers Link is not an emergency service provider and neither does it have any referral linkages with emergency service providers.

Youth concerns

IDIA Charitable Trust, Bangalore: Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes legal education among underprivileged youth (including transgender youth and children of sex workers). IDIA conducts legal career awareness workshops for students in classes 9-12, carries out aptitude tests for students interested in studying law, provides subsidized coaching for selected students through eminent coaching centres in preparation for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT, www.consortiumofnlus.ac.in), sponsors the CLAT forms, and places students who clear the CLAT in various national law schools according to their rankings; full loan-cum-scholarships are provided to students who secure a seat in the top national law schools and other reputed law universities for the entire duration of the five-year course. IDIA also collaborates with community-based organizations to sensitize the law schools on the concerns of the youth it places with them. 

See IDIA short film here. Contact: E-1/9 Hanumanthappa Layout, Off Ulsoor Road, Bangalore 560 042; 0091 80 4219 7924; info@idialaw.org; www.idialaw.org.