Women law brings hope for victims

New Delhi: Can the Domestic Violence Act really protect women from abusive husbands in absence of social change in a society where the position of women is still subordinate and where traditional mindsets dominate?

People like Monika Singh, a victim of domestic violence, do feel that this law can help women like her. Hers is a story that is familier with the experiences of many middle-class Indian women today.

"It began with the very first year of our marriage and I suffered for four years. And I do feel like a fool today that I did not have the courage to walk out after the very first slap" says Monika.

KEY PROVISIONS
	So the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 has now been notified as of today, it is a law now.
	All crimes under this act are non-bailable and punishment ranges from a year's imprisonment to Rs 20,000.
	Defines domestic violence as actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical, sexual, emotional or economic.'
	Law provides protection to the wife or live-in partner at the hands of the husband or live in partner or his relatives.
	State will appoint protection officers to help women.
	Woman can approach courts without first going to the police.

Monika finally did walk out on her abusive husband, but in spite of being a highly acclaimed Odissi dancer and a financially independent woman, it wasn't easy for her.

She feels that though the new law against domestic violence is going to be a source of strength for many women like her, it might take a long time for such abuses to be wiped out completely.

"It became even more dangerous for me once I took the step. There were too many threats and SMSs saying 'I will do this and that to you'," she recalls.

Getting family support and social acceptance was another worry. "The police's first reaction was, 'This is your household issue, sort it yourselves'," Monika narrates.

This is indeed an issue. While the law could be good in letter and spirit, at times insensitivity of the law-enforcement agencies and various legalities can prove to be a big hindrance in the implementation of the law.

Says advocate Pinky Anand, "There is going to be duplication of legislation so we already have 498 A, the National Commission for Women, the State Commission for Women and then there are women who are approaching each and every forum."

Today even as Monika starts a new chapter of life, she hasn't forgotten the support she got from the most unexpected quarters – her tradition-bound grandmother.

"When I told her that I walked out on my marriage, she asked me why. I said he beat me and she said just one simple thing - 'you did a great thing. Why should you be beaten up'?" Monika recalls. It is this encouragement from someone very dear to her that helped Monika overcame the biggest hurdle in living her life with dignity - her own self-doubt.

Physical violence
For example: Beating, slapping, hitting, biting, kicking, punching, pushing, shoving or causing bodily pain or injury in any other manner.
	Sexual violence, including against children
	Forced sexual intercourse
	Forces you to look at pornography or any other obscene pictures or material
	Any act of sexual nature to abuse, humiliate or degrade you, or which is otherwise violative of your dignity or any other unwelcome conduct of sexual nature
	Child sexual abuse
	Verbal and emotional violence
	Insults
	Name calling
	Accusations on your character and conduct etc
	Insults for not having a male child
	Insults for not bringing dowry etc
	Preventing you or a child in your custody from attending school, college or any other educational institution
	Preventing you from taking up a job, forcing you to leave your job
	Preventing you or a child in your custody from leaving the house
	Preventing you from meeting any person in the normal course of events
	Forcing you to get married when you don't want to marry
	Preventing you from marrying a person of your own choice
	Forcing you to marry a particular person of his/their own choice
	Threat to commit suicide
	Any other verbal or emotional abuse
	Economic violence
	Not providing you money for maintaining you or your children
	Not providing food, clothes, medicines etc for you or your children
	Stopping you from carrying on your employment or disturbing you in carrying on your employment
	Not allowing you to take up an employment or taking away your income from your salary, wages etc
	Forcing you out of the house you live in
	Stopping you from accessing or using any part of the house
	Not allowing use of clothes, articles or things of general household use
	Not paying rent if staying in a rented accommodation

History of Domestic Violence Act
	NCW forwarded first draft to the govt in 1997
	Bill tabled in Parliament by NDA govt in 2000
	Women organisations criticise draft bill for being open to manilulations
	Referred to the Standing Committee on HRD
	Second draft sent to Ministries in 2004
	New Bill introduced by UPA govt in 2005
	Bill passed by the Parliament on August 24, 2005
	Time taken in framing rules delayed implementation of the Act
	Act implemented more than a year after the bill was passed
	One crime against women every three minutes
	One rape every 29 minutes
	One dowry death case every 77 minutes
	One case of cruelty by husband and relatives every nine minutes
Source: National Crime Records Bureau