Domestic Violence in India

Still a nightmare for domestic violence survivors

#GS-01 Indian Society, #GS-02 Social Justice

For Prelims

International Day for Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women:

  • Women’s rights activists have observed 25 November as a day against gender-based violence since 1981.
  • The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women will mark the launch of the UNiTE campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10) — an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December).
  • This campaign, led by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women since 2008, aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world.
  • It calls for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 (PWDVA):

  • The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 was enacted by the Parliament of India to provide for more effective protection of the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family and other related incidents.
  • The Act recognizes domestic violence as a human rights violation.
  • It recognises a woman’s right to live in a violence-free home.
  • To realize this right, the Act recognises a woman’s right to residence and her right to obtain protection orders under the law.

What is Domestic Violence:

  • It can be termed as Domestic violence in case it harms or injures or endangers the health, safety, life, limb or well-being, whether mental or physical, of the aggrieved person or tends to do so and includes causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse and economic abuse.

 

For Mains

Domestic Violence in India:

  • National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) reports that only 14% of women who have experienced domestic violence have ever sought help.
  • This is despite the fact that almost a third of women are being subject to domestic violence.

Why domestic violence is under reported:

  • NFHS-5 data reports that women are more likely than men to justify a scenario in which it is acceptable for a husband to beat or hit his wife.
  • With few safe houses across India, the simple reality was that many women have nowhere else to go, and access to legal justice through the courts was a material possibility only for women with independent wealth and connections or those supported by specialist nongovernmental organisations.
  • Women who reported experiences of violence to the police were cynical about the outcome.
  •  Several States are yet to implement Protection officers and where they are in post, they are under resourced, under-skilled and overworked, making their remit impossible.