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Measures to protect women against domestic violence amidst COVID-19 lock-down.
Corona Virus has impacted everyone around the world. While most of us are enjoying with our families, COVID-19 has affected everyone differently. As most people are locked in their home, the increasing amount of pay cuts and people losing their jobs, there has been a drastic rise in intimate partner violence. Several women are trapped inside their houses with their husbands and families. The imposition of lockdown has given rise to the increase in the number of domestic violence cases all over the world. The number of domestic violence cases from the first week to the last week of March has spiked from 116 to 257 in India.
India has its own laws for protection against domestic violence, like many other countries. In any case, these laws have neglected to keep women from their abusers with the National Commission for Women accepting 587 reports from March 23 to April 16, out of which 239 are identified with aggressive behavior at home. Having said so, these are the reported cases which are by women who could muster the courage to lodge an official report. There still remain several women suppressed due to fear of their husbands unable to seek help. Another reason for women not being able to reach out for help is the unavailability of internet. Women from slum and rural areas have no access to the internet and hence, fail to report such abuse.
Women of India are protected from domestic abuse by the domestic violence act, 2005. Section 4(1), gives the right to any person who believes that an act of domestic violence is being committed can then inform a protecting officer. It is then the obligation of police official to make reports of the episode and forward it to the magistrate and concerned police officer, make accessible safe shelter home to the distressed whenever required and get medically examined in the event if she has sustained any injury. Aggrieved has right to make an application for obtaining a relief by way of a protection order, an order for monetary relief, a custody order, a residence order.The Governments needs to have more viable measures to enforce these provisions as the aggrieved can no longer go to the shelter homes provided due to the limitations placed on movement all over the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A strengthened version of the anti-domestic violence laws must be imposed for the safeguard of the women. The UN Secretary General recognized that peace is not just the absence of war. People are supposed to be the safest in their homes but this has not been the case so far.
The key to stop domestic violence against women is the creation of awareness among women. Awareness feeds to courage and courage helps stand against such perpetrators. Measures like appointment of female constables in slum areas to keep track which also gives a sense of support to women in distress. More and more advertisement about domestic violence along with proper toll free helpline numbers to reach out for help is a must in these conditions. More shelter homes along with proper sanitation must be arranged. The imposition of such laws requires the hard work law enforcements, thus the works of such protecting officers must also be considered essential. The UN has taken an initiative to cut out certain important measures to protect women from perpetrators and has urged the government to take up these measures like the providing functioning support numbers and services, text services to reach out for help, ensuring funds for COVID-19 response plan for domestic violence, shelters must be designated and also to ensure proper sanitation of such shelter homes, availability of essential services to such shelter homes.
The Jammu and Kashmir High court has made a certain plan to which will be worked with. Stricter punishment and law enforcement is the need of the hour. Proper implementation of laws is the most important factor of having a law in the first place.
