What are the Laws on Domestic violence in India, and how can you seek help?Subscribe

  Team Orom 2022-11-06 5+ Min
               

Domestic violence is one of the most gruesome activities in households. In India, from 2001 to 2018, domestic violence cases increased to 53℅.

Many factors provoke domestic violence, such as drug or alcohol consumption, superiority, antisocial personality traits, economic stress, jealousy, history of physical or emotional abuse, dowry demands, and much more. More than 730 million women across the globe report domestic violence or IPV (Intimate Partner Violence). The pandemic has impacted human life tremendously. During the pandemic, cases of domestic violence escalated dramatically. The hotline numbers for domestic violence were continuously buzzing. During the lockdown, men and women both were the open victims of their partner's attacks. But the majority of the victims were women.

When domestic violence victims speak to their families, whether men or women, they get repudiated by their families. Partners are supposed to be the reliable support system. Even if they can't be, seeking legal help to separate rather than ruthlessly harming the partner is better. Nobody deserves the agony of domestic violence, and nobody deserves to be battered by the person who claims to be the partner but is a monster in disguise.

If you have ever suffered from domestic violence, are still suffering, or know someone who encounters it daily, you must take action against it. Because Domestic Violence is a serious crime that can cause physical wounds to the partner, but it causes several other severe mental health issues. Not only women but men become prey to domestic abusers too. Domestic violence is only one of the prime reasons for suicides, signs of mental health illness, etc. Domestic violence is the biggest threat to public health issues. That results in physical and emotional injuries and even deaths.

Suffering and grieving are not the best options if you are a victim of domestic violence. Before anything extreme occurs, you must take legal action and stand up for yourself. You are brave; you are meant to raise your voice against injustice. There are various laws intended to safeguard you from any abuse.

There are four main types of domestic abuse and they are as follows -

1) Physical abuse - When the offender physically hits, kicks, slaps, or hurts their partner.

2) Economic abuse - When the offender intends to make the victim economically weak to gain superiority.

3) Sexual abuse - When the abuser sexually attacks their partner's body parts or rapes them. This type of abuse also comes under marital rape.

4) Emotional abuse - In this type of abuse, abusers verbally abuse their partner to cause them mental stress or cause emotional wounds. It deals with belittling the partner, comparison, threats, insults, gaslighting, etc. 

In India, every day, there are unnumbered cases registered under domestic violence. Do you know you can punish your partner for abusing you? Yes, you can. According to Indian law, Domestic Violence is a punishable crime.

Domestic violence is a crime under -

1) Protection of Women against Domestic violence act, 2005

This law ensures women are safe from abuse. This law was enacted to prohibit and protect women from sexual abuse, physical abuse, and economic & emotional abuse. This law is not only for married women but also for women in live-in relationships.

2) Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code

This law protects women from any cruelty from husbands or husbands' relatives. If a woman suffers from any harassment, they can register a case under Section 498A of IPC. The offender will be punished with up to three years of imprisonment and shall be liable to a fine.

3) Section 304B of the Indian Penal Code

When a woman dies because of dowry harassment, the abuser shall be punished with imprisonment up to seven years which may extend to life imprisonment. The victim must have severe bodily injuries and burns within seven years of marriage. It should be shown that the victim was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or relatives.

Ways to seek instant help when you are facing domestic violence.

1) If you are in extreme threat when you feel that you might get severely injured or there's a potential threat from your partner, you can call the police (100).

2) You can call the women's helpline number, specifically for domestic abuse. (181)

3) Contact the National Commission for Women (NCW) in Delhi.

4) You can contact 24/7 in service National Commission Women's hotline number at 7827170170.

Tags:

Live-In

Marriage

Legal

Mental Health