According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, the rate of domestic violence crimes recorded has been highest in Tamil Nadu this year. The extent of these crimes has reached a level where domestic murders are on the rise.

“At present, we see five to six murders cases owing to domestic violence in the state every month. These crimes are extremely emotional in nature,” says K. R. Raja, Founder and Managing Trustee, Global Network for Equality (GNE), and Medical & Psychiatric Social Worker, Palayamkottai Central Prison.

“For dowry complaints, FIRs are not filed directly. Both the parties are interrogated and sent to social welfare officers for counselling. For other cases , such as sexual harassment, FIRs straightaway,” says S. Akhila, Inspector of Police. The police analyse the cases before filing complaints as women, at times, try to take advantage of the Dowry Prevention Act (DPA) by coming up with false stories.

Raja says the worst hit areas in the state are Madurai, Thirunivelli and Kanyakumari. One important question to ask today is whether women alone are victims of domestic violence. The answer is no.

In many cases, women have also hurt, even killed, their spouses, but do not suffer the same, severe kind of punishment as men.

“According to the men’s rights movement in India, the laws do not recognise cruelty and domestic violence against men. The police in India almost never registers complaints of extortion or violence against women in a domestic relationship, whereas registering a complaint under 498A (where a woman is the aggrieved party) is widespread,” remarks Raja.

For women, reasons to resort to domestic violence range from intolerable verbal abuse at home, protecting the children from domestic abuse, infidelity to monetary issues. Raja explains that everything can be changed through love, and the partners should learn to give into each other’s needs.

(Dishina is a student of Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.)

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