NCRB 2021 data: Domestic violence against women on the rise

Andhra Pradesh reported 7,092 such cases, of whom 7,651 were victims.

The number of crimes against women has been on a rise in India: from rapes to domestic violence to trafficking.

During the pandemic, the National Commission for Women (NCW) registered an increase in complaints of domestic violence, but most of these cases were not reported.

The number of complaints received by the NCW in 2020 was 29,500, with cases registered in only 872 of them.

The NCRB data between 2001 and 2018 suggest that there has been a 53 percent increase in the number of domestic violence cases reported in India.

Lawyer Srikanth Chintala, who works in both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Courts, told South First, “The total number of cases until 2018 was around 15.5 lakh, but the numbers should be 50 times more than this, (as) many instances go unreported.”

The ability to report crimes to law enforcement was a crucial step in addressing gender-based violence, but a lack of trust in the police and the stigma surrounding violence against women could result in underreporting, he explained.

The 2013 initiative of 181 toll-free numbers for women to complain about domestic violence saw a heavy increase in calls, as per the NCRB reports.

Around 70.18 lakh complaints were received this year on those lines alone.

Of these, the highest number of complaints were received from Delhi (11.22 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (9.31 lakh), and Telangana (89,843). But these calls rarely result in a police report.

Times have changed, and women increasingly are coming forward and reporting domestic-violence cases, said Chintala. This was not possible earlier due to social construct, the family system, and patriarchy, he explained.

The lawyer added that the data indicated that women even in remote parts of the country were able to call and talk to someone because of the accessibility of phones, but many who were deprived of phones wouldn't know the helpline existed.

What falls under domestic violence?

Domestic abuse is the cruelty that happens within the four walls, but it is not limited to husbands.

It is domestic abuse even if your parents, in-laws, and other family members are doing it.

Domestic violence can be physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse, as well as financial abuse.

Dowry harassment is also a form of domestic harassment.

In many cases, the victim’s family members stop them from reporting such cases.

Legal help for domestic violence

A domestic violence victim must file a complaint at the nearest police station and get medical reports as evidence if physical and sexual abuse has occurred.

If circumstances don't allow victims to file a written complaint, they may dial 100 and file a complaint on a recorded call that can help them proceed legally.

“People and systems are mechanisms that are designed to protect women. Are they working effectively? The data suggest that we are not,” said Chintala.

Domestic violence can also be resolved outside court with the help of counsellors and NGOs, via joint counselling sessions for both parties.

Chintala also said that Indian law values and recognises the family system, which is why mandatory family counselling is done for disputes among family members.

This only increases the mental harassment of the victim and also delays justice, he explained, adding that they may at times be helpful, but only for an amicable settlement, not for a reunion.

Importance of family counselling

Psychologist Visesh, who goes by the name Psy Visesh, explained to South First that men and women are different.

A woman's financial independence has been the significant breakthrough of this generation, and when exposed to new culture and freedom, they tend to adapt and take wise decisions, whereas men have still not digested this change, he said.

“A woman — no matter what professional position or accolades she has — is expected to come back home and take care of the family and the kids. This is never expected of a man,” he said.

A man’s insecurity towards women’s liberation — big or small — is the biggest reason for much domestic violence against women, he added.

Men have more social support than women, he claimed, adding that the impact of socialisation was such that many still believed domestic violence was normal behaviour.

The NCRB data, released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, showed an overwhelming number of men and women in India believed that it was fine to physically assault wives if they did not carry out their domestic "duties".

The findings also suggested that for both sexes, more respondents in South India believed domestic abuse was fine. The numbers were 83.8 percent women and 70.8 percent men in Telangana, 83.6 percent women and 66.5 percent men in Andhra Pradesh, and 78.3 percent women and 56.2 percent men in Tamil Nadu.

Vishesh also said that abusive men seldom participated in counselling; it was mostly women who wanted to come out of the trauma and attend counselling.

“If someone approaches the police or law enforcement, the situation can get worse in the family for the victim, so I would always suggest they seek counselling before they approach the law,” said Vishesh.

He explained that it would be easier to help victims solve the issues in the family without making them public.

Domestic violence against men

Spousal abuse is not something faced by only women. Abuse against men goes unreported because men are in a social conundrum: They have to act tough and control their emotions.

“A senior IAS officer I counsel has no freedom to spend his own money, and his wife has threatened to file a fake harassment case against him,” said Visesh.

General stereotypes against men, fear of fake cases, societal and family pressure, and denial are the most common reasons why domestic violence cases against Indian men go unreported, he said.

The NCRB had no data for domestic violence against men.