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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                MARCH 13, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 24

                  GOPIO Women Council Hosts

                         Webinar on Understanding

            Action Against Domestic Violence

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            la Upadhyay, former president of
                                                                                                                  My Family Services in the Detroit,
            New York, NY
                                                                                                                  Michigan area highlighted the need
                  he Women’s Council Wing of                                                                      for better collaboration between or-
                  the Global Organization of                                                                      ganizations and suggested providing
            TPeople of Indian Origin (GO-                                                                         information about available resourc-
            PIO) hosted a webinar on February                                                                     es to immigrants during visa process-
            23rd  titled  ,  “Understanding  Action                                                               ing. The discussion emphasized the
            Against Domestic Violence .” Held                                                                     importance of culturally competent
            virtually, the webinar brought togeth-                                                                services and data-driven approaches
            er speakers and participants from the                                                                 to address domestic violence in the
            USA,  Canada,  India, Australia  and                                                                  South Asian diaspora.
            New Zealand. The panel was put                                                                            Another participant shared her
            together by GOPIO Women’s Coun-                                                                       experience as a survivor of domestic
            cil Chair Charu Shivakuamr from                                                                       violence, highlighting the ongoing
            Southern California.                                                                                  nature of abuse even after separa-
                GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thom-                                                                          tion or child custody arrangements.
            as Abraham, welcomed participants   GOPIO Officials and Speakers at the Webinar titled Understanding Action Against Domestic   She emphasized the lack of resourc-
            and highlighted GOPIO’s role in ad-  Violence, Top Row: from l. to r.: Charu Shivakumar, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Aparna Hande; Mid-  es and support available to victims
            vocating for the Indian diaspora and                                                                  and criticized organizations for
            its achievements in promoting dual   dle Row: from l. to r.: Zoya Salim Kara, Jayashri Chintalapudi and Shefali Mehta; Bottom Row:   not adequately addressing the seri-
            nationality. Dr. Abraham said that              from l. to r.: Nami Kaur, Kumu Gupta and Kewal Kanada  ous issues faced by survivors. Vasu
            violence against women was very im-                                                                   Pawar, another survivor, shared her
            portant issue for the Diaspora com-  and the use of immigration status as a   breaking the silence around domestic   story of enduring abuse while work-
            munity and need service provider or-  tool for control. She emphasized the   violence and creating safe spaces for   ing in the US, emphasizing the im-
            ganizations all over the world.   importance of distinguishing between   survivors.                   portance of addressing the various
                GOPIO Women’s Council Chair   arranged and forced marriages and     GOPIO Women’s Council Co-     forms  of  abuse,  including  financial
            Shivakumar introduced the session’s   discussed cultural  differences in  ex-  Chair Jayashri Chintalapudi, a former   abuse,  and  the  need  for  organiza-
            purpose, emphasizing the need to   pressions of anger and violence.  lawyer licensed in India and currently   tions to take survivors’ problems
            raise awareness and provide solu-     GOPIO Women’s Council Co-     an entrepreneur, shared the story of   seriously. Both speakers stressed
            tions for domestic violence. GOPIO’s   Chair Kritilata Ram from Mauritius   a friend who was murdered by her   the importance of raising awareness
            Global Ambassador Nami Kaur dis-  shared  insights  on  their  local  re-  husband due to domestic violence,   and providing support to victims of
            cussed her personal commitment to   sponse to domestic violence, includ-  highlighting the need for awareness   domestic violence.
            women’s rights and the importance of   ing a quick reaction system involving   about the various forms of abuse and   The meeting also focused on ad-
            extending educational efforts global-  the police and support agencies. Bos-  the dangers of leaving an abusive   dressing domestic violence, particu-
            ly. The webinar aimed to educate and   ton native Ms. Kumu Gupta spoke   relationship. Aparna and Jayashri   larly affecting senior women, and dis-
            inspire action against domestic vio-  about her work in the U.S., including   called for action to prevent domestic   cussed strategies to support victims.
            lence, with a panel of experts set to pro-  a phone drive program for victims of   violence and support survivors, with   GOPIO Life Member Suman Ka-
            vide  insights  and  recommendations.  domestic violence and efforts to raise   Aparna advocating for GOPIO’s role   poor from New Zealand highlighted
                The first speaker Ms. Zoya Salim   awareness about deepfake images.   in this effort and Jayashri emphasiz-  the need for education and empower-
            Kara, Team Leader for Ethnic Ser-  GOPIO  Health  Council  Co-chair   ing the importance of recognizing   ment to tackle such situations, while
            vices at Sahaayta in Auckland, New   Aparna Hande, a survivor and edu-  and addressing the signs of abuse.  Charu and others emphasized the
            Zealand, presented on family harm,   cator, planned to share her person-  The  meeting  focused  on  dis-  importance of maintaining trust and
            explaining that New Zealand refers   al journey and discuss the signs and   cussing domestic violence preven-  connection with victims. The group
            to domestic violence as “family harm”   symptoms of domestic violence, but   tion and intervention services for   discussed creating a fund under GO-
            to acknowledge the broader impact   technical  difficulties  interrupted  her   the South Asian community in the   PIO Foundation to support women’s
            on  family  members.  She discussed   presentation.                 United States. The service organi-  causes and the need for a global net-
            tools  like  the  Power  and  Control   Aparna shared her personal ex-  zation Saahas from Southern Cali-  work of women’s representatives. The
            Wheel and the Wheel of Equality,   perience of overcoming domestic   fornia explained their organization’s   Council has also planned a Women’s
            which help assess and educate about   violence and her subsequent work   work in preventing domestic violence   Conference Webinar on March 14th
            healthy and unhealthy relationships.   helping other survivors, describing   through community-based initiatives,   to mark International Women’s Day
            Zoya highlighted specific issues faced   how she created a model family that   including  home  visits,  financial  em-  on the topic’ Diaspora Women Scal-
            by Indian communities, such as hon-  sheltered 25 people over the years.   powerment, and cultural sensitivity.   ing Educational, Political, Social and
            or killings, dowry-related violence,   She emphasized the importance of   GOPIO Associate Secretary Vatsa-  Corporate World’.

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