Domestic violence
Women are the backbone of the family and important mainstay of a thriving social order. Women have inherit ability for compassionate understanding, they are hardworking, passionate, bold and carry legacy but Inspite of being the center of all the qualities they have been subjected to violence, discrimination, exploitation. They are harassed physically, psychologically, sexually and economically. The state of affairs they are in at home and at office is worrisome. The violence although has serious repercussions but when the Perpetrator is well-known or a family member, it creates a larger void in the victims psyche that hardly gets darned. The domestic violence can be defined in extensive or restrained, vague or targeted view. Its definition is of utter importance because of its response shaping effect.
Domestic violence is any incident of ill-omened/ threatening conduct, violence or maltreatment (psychological physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been partners or family members. Domestic Violence as depicted by the law is critical due to its sole of defining the standards thus having a larger impact in the perceptions of the social order. Physical harm to the women/girl by the family is only a single side of domestic violence, the mental dents by the ruthless abuses, or visual or sexual exploitation, experienced by the females of the family that can seriously hurt or wear down her self-esteem are the other sides of the coin. The families are nuclear as well as joint, in large joint families, violence is not often constrained to husband it can extend to in-laws, parents, siblings and other family members.
Violence against women is present across the globe cutting across the boundaries of culture, caste, color, religion etc. When the violence occurs inside the house, it usually goes unnoticed due to the mental setup of the public. There are tribulations in every relationship around us but that doesnt license a man to be violent towards the females of the family.
This is tormenting as we cannot even imagine the psyche of a sibling and the plight of the mother going through the hurly-burly in domestic violence. Various factors put up to this social malevolence which may range from cultural, economic, and political to legal ones. Credence among men that they are superior than women, dowry, domestic violence not taken seriously, women economic dependence on men, under representation of women and so on are various factors that strengthens the hands of the executors to indulge in such sickening acts of violence. The list is unending as per the available statistics one out of every three women has experienced domestic violence in her life time. The drift in domestic violence is nerve-racking, in India as per national crime records bureau about every 5 minutes a domestic violence case is committed, after every about an hour a dowry death occurs, about above 60% of women in India are victim of domestic violence. These numbers are very much alarming and will be having a far reaching effect on the general public.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir has seen an abrupt rise in the cases of domestic violence in past few years. More than 40% of the state women are subjected to the domestic violence as studies reveal so. More than 4000 cases of domestic violence were recorded in the state out of which some 2010 cases have been recorded in the last five years. Among the 2010 cases registered, Jammu district tops the list with about1250 cases and some 600 cases occurred in the valley of Kashmir. Leh and kargil has seen only 1 and 3 cases of domestic violence so far respectively. The reasons vary from dowry, interference with in-laws, and female child birth besides these reasons political turmoil has also added in the increase in this menace. This rise clearly depicts strewed social order in the state. The steep rise in the domestic violence is tormenting as women facing the violence in the family develop psychological apprehensions which leads to the suicides of many victims. Domestic violence creates an imbalance in the families giving rise to psychological problems. It seriously damages the mental and physical health of the victim, which in turn has serious effect on the next generation. Exposure to Parental domestic violence and migraine in children has a direct link. It impairs the moral and psychological behavior of the kids. Although GOI has placed an Act to protect women from domestic violence named as THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 2005 extending to the whole India except J&K. which lays the rules and definition of the violence; it touches all the aspects of aggrieved and the Perpetrator. While we have THE JAMMU AND KASHMIR PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM DEMESTIC ACT. 2010 in place in the state for such evils. Many non-Govt organizations functioning to wipe out this social evil, but even though the domestic violence has risen steeply over the years in the valley, which is a great matter of concern. The reasons being the trepidation to express the evil, mental psyche and the political turmoil in the state.
The society on whole needs to recognize the basic rights of the inhabitant. People in social order need to understand the basic human rights to put the society in a better order. The victims need to come forward to high lighten their plight to the ones those who understand their values. We as a society cannot thrive and march forward by suppressing the voices of the females around us. Women who keep covering the violent acts that happen to them in families leads to more destruction. They need to reveal it to the other members of the family who will support and understand what they have undergone. People who have been involved as a victim in such cases need to discuss the issues with their parents, friends to solve them rather mish-mashing everything which latter has serious consequences. People of the society should understand that its impossible to thrive as a social order by being ruthless and male dominant. The people of society want best husband for their daughter but fail to become one for their own in-laws. As an individual its the responsibility of each and every one of us to counsel the perpetrators of the domestic violence and make them understand about their wrong doings if any happening around us. Treat the females around us with respect and dignity, support them and be an example in the social order, as the same will follow the same. Women of our society are the pillars of our enlargement and we as a society should never deprive them of their basic rights.
Before the social and moral order gets out of context of reforming, before its too late to curb this menace roll up your sleeves and be a concrete wall in-between the domestic violence and women.
Let them rise and shine
Author who hails from Nepora, Anantnag is an M.B.A. M.Phil (Banking) and can be reached at: [email protected]
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