Issue of domestic violence in India

Pages: 982-983
Rijul Sihag (Department of Sociology, CR Law College, Hisar, Haryana)

Domestic violence against women is old phenomena. Women were always considered weak, vulnerable and in a position to be exploited. Cultural mores, religious practices, economic and political conditions may set the precedence for initiating and perpetuating domestic violence, but ultimately committing an act of violence is a choice that the individual makes out of a range of options. Moreover, women are socialized into their gender roles in different societies throughout the world. In societies with a patriarchal power structure and with rigid gender roles, women are often poorly equipped to protect themselves if their partners become violent. India’s National Family Health Survey-IV (2015-16) has found that a substantial proportion of married women have been physically or sexually abused by their husbands at some time in their lives. It is on this basis that this paper discusses the meaning, types of domestic violence and after-effects of these types of violence on abused women. In addition, the paper discusses the laws in action for providing intervention to the affected individuals. This can be restrained by educating women about her rights, provision of strict laws and punishment for offence of domestic violence.