Please read this first if you are worried

Safety and privacy

What to do in an emergency, how SAATHI treats your information, what the law says in plain words, and how to stay private on a shared phone.

If someone is in danger right now

Call 112. It is free and works across India.

If someone may end their life soon

Treat it as an emergency and get urgent, in-person emergency care. Call 112 or go to the nearest hospital.
Do not leave the person alone.
Calmly keep away anything they could use to hurt themselves.
Listen without arguing or blaming. Asking directly, "are you thinking of ending your life?", does not put the idea in their mind.

Under the Mental Healthcare Act 2017, a person who attempts suicide should receive care, not punishment.

If there is sudden confusion, severe intoxication or a medical emergency

Sudden confusion, severe drowsiness, trouble breathing or a fast decline in health needs urgent medical care.
Call 112 or go to the nearest hospital. Do not wait to see if it passes.
Tell the doctors about any medicines, alcohol or other substances.

Helplines, free to call

112Emergency Response Support System Police, fire and ambulance. Call if someone is in immediate danger.
14416Tele-MANAS Free national mental health support, 24 hours, in many Indian languages. Also 1-800-891-4416.
181Women Helpline Support and referral for women facing violence, 24 hours.
1098Childline For children in need of care and protection, or adults worried about a child.
14567Elderline National helpline for senior citizens.

For online fraud, blackmail or abuse online, call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Privacy

Short and honest.

This website

It collects nothing personal. Your check-in answers stay on your screen and are cleared when you leave.
There are no analytics, no tracking and no cookies.
The only things it remembers in your browser are your choices of language and light version.
Fonts load from Google Fonts, so Google can see that your device asked for them. Turn on the light version (at the bottom of any page) to avoid this.

What we collect when you ask for contact, and why

Only what is needed to contact you and match you with the right service: the details in the request form, and only if you choose to send them. We would keep them for as long as needed to help you, and you could ask us to correct or delete them.

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, in plain words

This law says an organisation must tell you what personal data it collects and why, collect only what it needs, ask for your consent, keep the data safe, and let you correct or erase it. For a child, the consent of a parent or lawful guardian must be properly verified. SAATHI is built to follow it. This is a summary, not legal advice.

Indian law, in plain words

Four laws matter most here. This is general information, not legal advice. A lawyer, legal services authority or One Stop Centre can help with your own situation.

POCSO Act 2012

Protects every child under 18 from sexual abuse and exploitation. Anyone who knows or suspects a child is being sexually abused must report it to the police or Childline. This applies to teachers, doctors, counsellors and family members alike. Not reporting is itself an offence. The child's identity is protected.

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005

Covers physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and economic abuse by a husband or partner or his relatives, including in-laws. A woman can approach a Protection Officer, a One Stop Centre or a court for a protection order, a residence order (the right to stay in the shared home) and monetary relief. Shelter and medical help are also available. You do not need to file a police complaint first.

Mental Healthcare Act 2017

Gives every person the right to access mental health care and treatment from government services, to be treated with dignity, and to have their information kept confidential. Section 115 says a person who attempts suicide is presumed to be under severe stress and should receive care and rehabilitation, not punishment.

Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023

Sets rules for how organisations handle your personal data, including your right to know, correct and erase it. Data about children needs verifiable consent from a parent or guardian. See privacy above.

Keeping children safe

For parents, teachers and anyone who works with children.

Listen and stay calm. Believe the child. Say it was not their fault, and thank them for telling you.
Do not promise to keep it a secret. You may need to involve others to keep the child safe. Say so gently: "I will only tell people who can help keep you safe."
Do not ask leading questions or ask the child to repeat the story. Write down in their own words what they told you, with date and time.
Do not confront the person alleged to have harmed the child before the child is safe.
Report. Call Childline 1098, or 112 if the child is in danger now. A Child Welfare Committee (CWC) or District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) can arrange care and protection. Under POCSO, reporting is a legal duty.
Take the child for a medical check if there has been harm. Look for a trained, child-friendly professional.

Warning signs

You do not need to be sure to ask for help. These are signs that a person may need support. The ones marked urgent need a response today.

Persistent emotional or behavioural change

A noticeable change from the person's usual functioning that persists, worsens or affects daily life.

Suicide or self-harm concern Urgent

Talking about death, hopelessness, self-harm, feeling trapped or being a burden; seeking means; recent attempt.

Possible abuse, exploitation or neglect Urgent

Fear of a particular person, unexplained injuries, disclosure, coercion, unsafe living conditions or unmet basic needs.

Possible psychosis or mania

Hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech, markedly reduced need for sleep with elevated or irritable mood and risky behaviour.

Possible dementia or delirium Urgent

Gradual memory and functional decline, compared with sudden confusion, inattention or altered awareness.

Substance-related concern Urgent

Intoxication, withdrawal, escalating use, impaired functioning, overdose risk or use to cope with distress.

If you see these signs, speak to the person with kindness and ask directly. Then see find support, or call Tele-MANAS on 14416.

If you share a phone

In many homes one phone is used by everyone. These steps can help. None of them is perfect, so choose what feels safe.

Clear your browser history after visiting. On most phones: browser menu, then History, then Clear. Or use a private or incognito window from the start.
Lock sensitive WhatsApp chats. In WhatsApp, open the chat info and choose Lock chat. Turn off notification previews.
Delete call log entries after calling a helpline, if it is safe to do so. Save the number under another name.
Agree a code word with a trusted friend, neighbour or relative that means "please call for help".
Use the phone of a trusted friend, or a phone at a clinic or One Stop Centre, if yours is checked.
Be careful with new apps. If you suspect someone is watching your phone, do not remove anything suddenly, as that may alert them. Ask a trusted person or the Women Helpline on 181 for advice.

Quick exit

Every page has a "Leave quickly" button at the bottom right. Press it, or press the Esc key twice, and your screen moves to an ordinary weather search.

What it cannot do: it cannot erase your browser history or the back button. After leaving, clear your history as described under shared phone, or use a private window.