PART-II
Domestic violence, as defined for this Digest, includes violence perpetrated by intimate partners and other family members, and manifested through:
- Physical abuse such as slapping, beating, arm twisting, stabbing, strangling, burning, choking, kicking, hitting, biting, battering, shoving, punching, pulling hair, burning, cutting, pinching, grabbing, threats with an object or weapon, and murder (any type of violent behavior inflicted on the victim). It also includes traditional practices harmful to women such as female genital mutilation and wife inheritance (the practice of passing a widow, and her property, to her dead husband’s brother).
- Sexual abuse such as coerced sex through threats, intimidation or physical force, forcing unwanted sexual acts or forcing sex with others. Sexual abuseoccurs when the abuser coerces or attempts to coerce the victim into having sexual contact or sexual behavior without the victim’s consent. This often takes the form of marital rape, attacking sexual body parts, physical violence that is followed by forcing sex, sexually demeaning the victim.
- Psychological abuse which includes behavior that is intended to intimidate and persecute, and takes the form of threats of abandonment or abuse, confinement to the home, surveillance, threats to take away custody of the children, destruction of objects, isolating the victim from loved ones, verbal aggression and constant humiliation.
- Economic abuse includes acts such as the denial of funds, refusal to contribute financially, denial of food and basic needs, and controlling access to health care, employment, etc.
- Emotional abuseinvolves invalidating or deflating the victim’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. Emotional abuse often takes the form of constant criticism, name-calling, injuring the victim’s relationship with his/her children, or interfering with the victim’s abilities.
The consequences of intimate partner violence can be devastating to women. Physical and emotional trauma can lead to increase stress, depression, lowered self-esteem, and post-traumatic stress disorder (an emotional state of discomfort and stress associated with the memories of a disturbing event).Often women and children are the soft targets of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a gruesome crime that also causes a number of deaths. The male-dominated society plays an important role in this problem. Further, dowry is also one of the leading causes which have the consequence of violence against newly-wed brides. In many parts of the world, physically assaulting women and passing horrendous remarks is common.
According to the Crime in India Report 2018, published by the National Crime Research Bureau (NCRB), a crime is recorded against women in India every 1.7 minutes and a woman is subjected to domestic violence every 4.4 minutes. It also topped the categories of violence against women according to the report. As per the data, 89,097 cases related to crimes against women were registered across India in 2018, higher than the 86,001 cases registered in 2017.
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16 highlighted that 30 percent of women in India between the ages of 15-49 have experienced physical violence. The report suggests that among married women experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, an alarming 83 percent list their husbands as the main perpetrators, followed by abuse from their husbands’ mothers (56 percent), fathers (33 percent), and siblings (27 percent).
Domestic abuse is a heinous crime that not only affects the victim but also our society as a whole. To be assaulted, abused and raped by someone is the most degrading experience for a woman. Abusive relationships always involve an imbalance of power and control. An abuser uses intimidating, hurtful words and behaviors to control his or her partner. It might not be easy to identify domestic violence at first. While some relationships are clearly abusive from the outset, abuse often starts subtly and gets worse over time.
An abuser will do everything they can to lower your self-esteem or make you feel defective in some way. After all, if you believe you’re worthless and that no one else will want you, you’re less likely to leave. Insults, name-calling, shaming, and public put-downs are all weapons of abuse designed to erode your self-worth and make you feel powerless.Violence negatively affects women’s general well-being and prevents women from fully participating in society. It impacts their families, their community, and the country at large. It has tremendous costs, from greater strains on health care to legal expenses and losses in productivity.
Conclusion and Suggestions
The three most common ways to use persuasion to curb domestic violence is to educate, have non-verbal signals, and to speak out. Educating people will teach people how to deal with anger in a passive way before turning into an abusive case. Different kinds of people can be shown and given education on the dangers and signs of domestic violence and can use their knowledge of the issue to put a stop to it. Non-verbal signals are a good way for people in relationships with anger problems to control that anger. If there is a non-verbal signal in place, whoever is angry can take the time to walk away and clear their head before turning to violence during an argument. Last, speaking out is one of the best ways to put a stop to domestic violence. Calling the authorities when he or she see or hear something can save someone’s life. Take the necessary steps when something first happens rather than later, when it gets out of hand.
Domestic violence is a crime, and there are almost always victims that come out of it damaged. Persuading people to do these things could very well curb domestic violence and help save a life.Domestic violence is a relevant issue amongst society due to the fact that it affects all possible ranges of people. Regardless upon whether partner violence is male-on-female, female-on-male, or same-sex violence, it is important to consider the negative repercussions these implications create within long-term and short-term health.Moreover, children also become victims of this inhuman behavior more than often. It is important to recognize the double standards and hypocrisy of society.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of intimate partner violence, seek help from other family members and friends or community organizations. Make sure you and your children are safe. Reach out for support or counseling. Learn more about how to get help for intimate partner or domestic violence. If you’re having trouble identifying what’s happening, take a step back and look at larger patterns in your relationship. Then, review the signs of domestic violence. And initiate preventive measures, such as providing support and counseling to families, in order to improve their ability to create a non-violent environment, emphasizing principles of education, equality of rights and equality of responsibilities between women and men, their partnership and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
(Concluded…)
(The author is a resident of Dadasara Tral and can be reached at:[email protected])
