Prasanna Gettu
Prasanna Gettu | |
|---|---|
 Portait by Prasanna Gettu | |
| Education |
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| Occupations |
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| Organization(s) | International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC) |
| Known for | Activism against domestic violence |
| Awards | Anne Klein Women's Award (2020) |
Prasanna Gettu is an Indian criminologist, victimologist, and women right's activist from Chennai, India. Gettu is known for her work in supporting survivors of domestic violence and interpersonal violence. She is the co-founder and managing trustee of the International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC), a Chennai-based non-governmental organization. In 2020, she was awarded the Anne Klein Women's Award for her work.
Early life and education
[edit]Gettu holds a Master's degree in Geology and a PhD in Criminology from the University of Madras. Her 2002 doctoral thesis was titled "Corruption – A Public View", and focused on police corruption. Gettu's interest in criminology began at a young age, inspired by reading crime and murder stories.[1]
Gettu also has a post-graduate diploma in Victimology and Victim Assistance from Tokiwa University in Japan, where she was part of the first batch of a program held by the World Society of Victimology. This course sparked her interest in focusing on the victims of crime and its need in India. She has also received professional training in domestic violence and crisis intervention.[2][3]
Career and activism
[edit]Gettu co-founded the International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC) in Chennai in 2001,[2] along with Usharani Mohan and Hema Ramachandran—victimologists she had met in Japan during her studies.[2][1] The organization was established to provide support services for victims of crime, particularly women and queer individuals facing domestic and interpersonal violence.[4][5]
In its first year, the majority of cases PCVC handled were related to domestic violence.[6] This led Gettu and her colleagues to study shelter models in the United States to build specialized services in India.[3] Since 2005, Gettu has been the managing trustee of PCVC, leading its operations with a board of members and staff.[2]
Under her leadership, PCVC has grown to provide a wide range of services. The organization runs Dhwani, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which operates 24/7 and offers confidential crisis counseling and information.[4] PCVC also provides emergency, long-term, and transitional shelters for survivors and their children.[3][7] The foundation offers a holistic, survivor-centric approach, providing legal and medical referrals, psychological support, and assistance with economic rehabilitation, including education and skill-building.[8][7]
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Gettu is an advocate for changing societal attitudes towards domestic violence. She emphasizes that such violence is not restricted to any particular socioeconomic class and that survivors deserve to be treated with dignity.[7] She is a proponent of creating support systems that empower survivors to make their own life decisions.[9]
In addition to her work at PCVC, Gettu serves as an external member on the Internal Complaints Committee for the prevention of sexual harassment for over 50 companies and government departments.[2][10]
Recognition
[edit]In 2020, Gettu received the Anne Klein Women's Award from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.[11][12] The jury recognized her as a "remarkable and courageous defender of human and women's rights, championing the right to a life free of violence, a life lived according to one's own wishes and in dignity and good health."[11]
Publications
[edit]Gettu has contributed to several publications on criminology and victimology. Her selected works include:
- "India: the state of criminology in a developing nation" in the Routledge handbook of International Criminology (2011).[2]
- "White Collar Crimes: A Victimological Perspective" in Human Rights and Victimology (1998).[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Story of Chennai's Criminologist". GoTN.in. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Dr. Prasanna Gettu". Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. 9 December 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "Dr Prasanna Gettu: Helping Domestic Abuse Survivors". Her Circle. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ a b K.B, Pragati (10 April 2020). "Not all survivors of violence can stitch bags for a living: Prasanna Gettu". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ Gupta, Shivani (8 October 2024). "This Mom of 2 Fled Abuse To Rebuild Her Life: How Can We Help Women Facing Domestic Violence?". The Better India. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ ""It is my job to tell the victim of violence that she is valuable." | Heinrich Böll Stiftung". www.boell.de. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "Addressing inter-personal violence, one little joy at a time". Heinrich Böll Stiftung. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "About Us". PCVC - The International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "This Mom of 2 Fled Abuse To Rebuild Her Life: How Can We Help Women Facing Domestic Violence?". The Better India. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ Balasubramanian, Roshne (18 July 2020). "Engaging employers to address abuse". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Anne Klein Women's Award 2020 to Prasanna Gettu". Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ deutschlandfunkkultur.de (6 March 2020). "Indische Aktivistin Prasanna Gettu - Mutige Kämpferin für misshandelte Frauen". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). Retrieved 23 June 2025.
