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Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence is a serious, preventable public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. The term “intimate partner violence” describes physical violence, sexual violence, or psychological/emotional abuse as well as sexual coercion and stalking by a current or former partner or spouse. Seven percent of women have been sexually assaulted and as many as 38 percent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner globally.
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) suggests that about 31 percent of married women have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence by their spouses.
According to a recent report by Livemint, sexual violence case that go unreported are about 99 percent. Sexual Violence that are unreported are mostly from the states where there is low literacy. In states like UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, less than 0.5 percent of incidents of violence against women were reported.
In 2013, there were nearly a hundred and twenty thousand reports of Intimate Partner Violence in India according to India’s National Crime Records Bureau. Moreover, a study in 2015 by the Planning Commission of India reveals that 84 percent of the women have been abused in their homes at least ones.
Three Intimate Partner Violence Laws in India are:-
- The Indian Penal Code Amendment in 1983
- The 2005 Protection for Women from Domestic Violence Act
- The 2013 Criminal Law Amendment
Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code was added in 1983. According to Section 498-A
Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty.—Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be pun¬ished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. Explanation.—For the purpose of this section, “cruelty” means—
(a) any wilful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman; or
(b) harassment of the woman where such harassment is with a view to coercing her or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any property or valuable security or is on account of failure by her or any person related to her to meet such demand.
In the 2005 Protection for Women from Domestic Violence Act, it clearly defines what domestic violence is and that women have the right to seek protection. Also the act clearly says that women cannot be evicted from her husband’s house. If evicted she has the right to seek monetary compensation, safe shelter and also free legal and medical aid. The aim of the 2013 Criminal Law Amendment was to provide harsher punishment for abuse against women.
These are the most important laws regarding Intimate Partner Violence in India. There are many NGOs now to protect women from such violence. There are still many cases that go unreported. IPV is something that can be prevented very easily if women speaks for their rights.
