PART-I
Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, family violence, battering, spousal abuse or intimate partner violence, is any pattern of behavior that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. It encompasses all physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, economic and psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This is one of the most common forms of violence experienced by women globally. Domestic violence has a major impact on the general health and wellbeing of individuals. It is because it causes physical injury, anxiety, depression. Moreover, it also impairs social skills and increases the likelihood that they will participate in practices harmful to their health, like self-harm or substance abuse. Domestic abuse often escalates from threats and verbal abuse to violence. And while physical injury may be the most obvious danger, the emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse are also severe.
Domestic violence is traditionally associated with cases of physical violence occurring within intimate relationships in a domestic setting. It is widely accepted that domestic violence is more commonly perpetrated by males and that women are more likely to suffer physical harm at the hands of their partner. Domestic violence against the woman is an old age phenomenon. Women were always considered vulnerable and in a position to be exploited. Violence has long been accepted as something that happened to women. Family which was perceived as an arena of love, affection, gentleness and center of solidarity and warmth has now become a center of exploitation, and violence ranging from slapping, hitting, homicidal assault by one member of the family on the other, husband and in-laws harassment for dowry or for another reason, dowry deaths, wife bettering, female child abuse and abuse of elderly female in a family are also included in domestic violence.
Domestic violence is not person specific; its victim can be children, woman, aged, disabled or any other vulnerable group. However, due to the traditional patriarchal system, emotional and economic dependence and inherent biological weakness term out to be the most potent. Among the many manifestations of the violation, the fundamental rights of women, domestic violence is one of the most vicious circle. It takes place behind the closed doors, the very door which are meant to protect women from the hazards of the outside world. It is nothing short of a form of a custodial violence and must be so recognized.
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV), can be broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or cohabitation. Domestic violence has many forms including physical aggression (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects), or threats thereof; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse, and economic deprivation.
Traditionally, domestic violence (DV) was mostly associated with physical violence. For instance, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition, domestic violence is: “the inflicting of physical injury by one family or household member on another; also: a repeated/ habitual pattern of such behavior.” Domestic violence is now more broadly defined to include “all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence” that may be committed by a person who is a family member or a person that has been an intimate partner or spouse, irrespective of whether they lived together.
In 1993, The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women identified domestic violence as one of three contexts in which violence against women occurs, describing it as:
“Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation”.
“Woman is a collective identity of a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter, a friend and a human being. The power of this collective existence is immeasurable and indomitable if it wakes up once. Let’s respect women for the good of civilization instead of challenging their power and existence.” – Indian Eagle
(To be continued…)
(Author is Doctorate, Columnist, Researcher and Social activist. He is a resident of Dadasara Tral and can be reached at: [email protected])
