Women's Corner - Violence Against Women

Domestic Violence

If you are facing Domestic Violence

Within the four walls of homes, the violence against women is quite high. Domestic violence against is widely prevalent, but has remained largely invisible. Statistics reveal that 45% of Indian women are slapped, kicked or beaten by their husbands. (ICRW 2002) .32% had committed acts of violence against their pregnant wives. Every 60 minutes a woman dies in India due to domestic violence. Women accept violence because social norms sanction them. At the same time, cultural conditioning and economic dependence prevent the vast majority of women leaving their marital homes. Though there is criminal law to prevent domestic violence, the recent civil law “Protection of women from Domestic Violence” is aimed at providing relief, compensation and support to a woman.

Now check yourself whether ..........

Your husband or partner commits any of the following acts of violence against you or your child

Verbal and emotional violence

Insult – not attractive, not smart, doesn’t respect him/his parents

Accusing/Insulting your parents

Name – calling

Accusations on your character or conduct etc

Insult for not having a male child

Insults for not bringing dowry etc

Preventing you or a child in your custody from attending school, college or any other educational institutions

Forcing you to leave your job

Preventing you from taking up a job

Preventing you or a child in your custody from leaving the house

Preventing you from meeting any person in the normal course of events

Threat to commit suicide

Economic Violence

Not providing you money for maintaining you or your children

Not providing food, clothes, medicines etc, for you or your children

Stopping you from carrying on your employment

Not allowing you to take up on employment or

Taking away your income from your salary, wages etc

Not allowing you to use your salary wages etc

Forcing you out of the house you live in

Stopping you from accessing or using any part of the house

Not allowing use of clothes, articles, or things of general household use,

Not paying rent if staying in a rented accommodation etc.

Physical violence

Slapping

Beating

Hitting

Biting

Kicking

Punching

Pushing

Shoving or

Causing bodily pain or injury in any other manner

Sexual Violence

Forced sexual intercourse

Forced you to look at pornography or any other obscene pictures or material

Any act of sexual nature to abuse humiliates or degrade you, or which is otherwise violating of your dignity or any other unwelcome conduct or sexual nature

Remember the Govt recently enacted Domestic Violence Act.

Kicking

Salient features of the DV Act are :

PWDVA seeks to cover all those women who are or have been in a domestic relationship with a man including live-in relationships, bigamous marriage and fraudulent marriages.

The Act gives the women right to reside in the shared household.

Protection orders can be given by the magistrate immediately to stop violence.

It provides counseling for both parties singly or jointly.

The act stipulates that within 3 days the case has to be registered and in 60 days all requisite relief measure to be given.