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| The Domestic Violence Bill |
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| Wednesday, 29 November 2006 05:30 | |||
In a traditionally, patriarchal society like India, domestic violence is often justified by women themselves.
The recent enactment of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Bill has brought the issue of domestic violence back into public discourse. The recent Bill has through its provisions widened the scope of acts that have become punishable under law, as it covers not only actual physical and sexual violence, verbal and emotional harassment, but also considers threats or undue pressures (for instance, demand for dowry) which may cause mental anguish to the victim. The act covers wives, live-in partners, mothers, sisters, mother-in-law and any other female living with a violent man. In a traditionally, patriarchal society like India, domestic violence is often justified by women themselves. The 1998-98 International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) health survey conducted amongst women in 15-49 years of age revealed that almost three out of every five women accepted at least one justification for wife beating. These reasons range from suspicion of bad moral character, disrespect of in-laws to more trivial ones like not cooking properly. Despite rural-urban differences, even in urban areas 47 per cent of women accept at least one reason that justifies wife beating, further this figure for women who have completed high school and above also stands at 37 per cent. It goes without saying that generally illiterate, poorer and rural women are more generous to their husbands. The figures for prevalence of domestic violence are no less alarming as about 21 per cent of the women report being beaten or physically mistreated. Almost 90 per cent of the victims stated that their husband was the main offender. A large number of cases go unreported as many victims either live in denial or accept domestic violence as their fate. Often the victims do not realise the debilitating impact of violence on their health and that of other vulnerable members like children who witness such events at home. Apart from the physical injuries from the violent act itself and increased susceptibility to chronic pains, migraine, memory loss and dizziness, victims report significantly higher levels of emotional distress. Abused women also suffer from higher levels of abortions, premature deliveries and unwanted pregnancies. Husbands or partners who are abusive are also more likely to have other sexual partners hence increasing the risk of both sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS for the victim. But perhaps the most alarming effects are on the children who witness violence at home. Various studies by the WHO and IIPS have revealed the inter-generational impact of domestic violence, as children from these homes are more likely to be prone to depression, anxiety, violence and substance abuse. Women in India generally keep their own health on low priority. The main reasons for this apart from illiteracy and lack of awareness among women, is their dependence on male members who are often insensitive and uninformed of their health needs. Domestic violence is one of the most heinous of crimes, as it completely disregards notions of humanity and human rights; a person with whom a woman shares a relation of intimacy and familial ties is the perpetrator, thus making the home unsafe. A beginning has been made in defining a change through the latest legislation but unless there is commitment from society to build a culture that makes acts of domestic violence completely unacceptable, government laws will not be able to address the issue in its entirety. The author works with Indicus Analytics and can be contacted at
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