Empowering women against domestic violence

Pages: 567-571
Bhavjot Kaur (Department of Public Administration, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab)

Violence against women is present in almost every country, cutting across boundaries of class, culture, education, income and age. In our society, violence is bursting. Behind closed doors of homes, people are being beaten, tortured and killed. It is happening in rural areas, cities, towns and in metropolitans as well. The term used to describe this problem of violence within our homes is Domestic Violence. Anyone can be a victim and a victimiser. This violence has a tendency to explode in various forms such as physical, sexual or emotional. Domestic violence is the most prevalent yet relatively hidden and ignored form of violence against women and girls. One of the most common forms of violence against women worldwide is abuse by a husband. Women who believe that a husband is justified in committing violence against his wife for any of the specified reasons, may believe themselves to be low in status both absolutely and relative to men.