There are gaps in the implementation of the domestic violence act and insufficient funds for it, Centre for Social Research (CSR) director and activist Ranjana Kumari said on Tuesday.
“Statistics show an alarming decline in
the number of cases registered and an improper budget allocation for the
implementation of the act,” she said, at an event organised by her
organisation and Oxfam India to discuss 10 years of Protection of Women
against Domestic Violence Act in India.
“(There is) 50 percent decrease in the
number of protection in the number of protection officers for the
implementation of the act in the country. These are serious problems and
need to be addressed on a priority basis,” she added.
Speakers highlighted the glaring gaps in
the implementation of PWDVA and to various problems surrounding it
including lack of awareness amongst many others.
In 2013, the National Crime Records
Bureau (NCRB) reported 309,546 cases of violence against women of which
118,866 were cases of domestic violence. In 2014, NCRB for the first
time published data on the act, with only 426 cases registered under the
act for the entire year.
Speaking to IANS, Prof Bijayalaxmi Nanda
of Miranda House said: “People generally do not report on verbal abuse.
They do not report much on mental abuse as they would do on physical
abuse.
I believe if there are good, progressive
judgments (on domestic violence case) which can be highlighted, if
women start recognizing that they have a right to dignity..then that
become the first step.”
CSR and Oxfam India plan to prepare a
memorandum with action points specific to each component of the act and
send it to the prime minister’s office.
Source : IndianMediaBook - Press Briefing
