Page 1 of 6
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 11
October 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 229
Violence against Women in India: Efforts to Eradicate
Archit Shivam Mishra
LLB Honors, Amity law school
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi
Abstract
Violence is a major obstacle to development. Violence against women in particular hinders
progress in achieving development targets. Violence against women is a major threat to social
and economic development. Violence against women takes many forms, from the overt to the
subtle. Sexual violence means a woman has been: physically forced to have sexual
intercourse; had sexual intercourse because she was afraid of what her partner might do; or
forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating. Violence against women
occurs in all social and economic classes, but women living in poverty are more likely to
experience violence. Programmes to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger should be
designed specifically to promote women’s economic participation and independence of
women in ways that do not expose them to increased violence. Violence against women is
partly a result of gender relations that assumes men to be superior to women. The paper
discusses the possibility of community-interventions by raising awareness about the violation
of human rights issues and other psychological consequences to prevent domestic violence.
Keywords: Violence, Sexual violence, Poverty, Hunger, Economic development,
Community-interventions
Introduction
Violence against women and gender
inequality result from a complex array of
interwoven factors. In many parts of the
world, women have no social or legal
recourse against violence by their husband
or partner. Women and girls are killed
because they are thought to have tarnished
the honour of their husbands or families.
Greater equality and empowerment will
help many women to avoid violence. Most
of the violence experienced by women is
perpetrated by someone they know – most
often, their husband or partner.
Governments should ensure that statistics
on violence against women, including on
prosecution and conviction rates, are
regularly collected and disseminated and
that interventions to address violence are
properly evaluated. Efforts to reduce infant
and child mortality should include
measures to reduce partner-violence
Page 2 of 6
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 11
October 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 230
against women. Improving policing,
including providing training on how to
deal appropriately with violence against
women (as well as tough sanctions against
police who abuse women), can contribute
to increasing safety for women in urban
areas. Development strategies should
promote women's ability to participate as
full social, economic and political partners,
unrestricted by harmful gender norms and
violence. Violence against women is partly
a result of gender relations that assumes
men to be superior to women. Gender
violence is a common problem prevailing
in almost all the developing countries.
Even in India the issue continues unabated
creating many hassle and challenges for
the social growth.
Violence against women
Crime which are ―directed specifically
against women‖ and in which ―only
women are victims‟ are characterized a „
Crime against Women” Domestic
violence may involve different means
such as hitting, kicking, biting, shoving,
and restraining, throwing objects.
Physical violence may include assault,
battery, serious injuries or burns etc.
Sexual violence, which means robbing the
dignity of woman not only by indecent
behavior but it, may take the extreme form
of rape. Verbal violence, which means
indecency or use of abusive and filthy
language against a woman or her near and
dear ones. Emotional violence, leading to
internal deprivation of love and affection,
concern, sympathy and care, it also
includes depriving her custody of children.
Legal provisions for women at work
place
Factories Act 1948: Under this Act,
a woman cannot be forced to work
beyond 8 hours and prohibits
employment of women except
between 6 A.M. and 7 P.M.
Maternity Benefit Act 1961: A
Woman is entitled 26 weeks
maternity leave with full wages.
The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961:
Under the provisions of this Act
demand of dowry either before
marriage, during marriage and or
after the marriage is an offence.
The Equal Remuneration Act of
1976: This act provides equal
wages for equal work: It provides
for the payment of equal wages to
both men and women workers for
the same work or work of similar
nature. It also prohibits
discrimination against women in
the matter of recruitment.
The Child Marriage Restrain Act of
1976: This act rises the age for
marriage of a girl to 18 years from
Page 3 of 6
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 03 Issue 11
October 2017
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 231
15 years and that of a boy to 21
years.
Status of Women in India
Much of it includes women's positing in
society, their education, health, economic
position, gender equality etc. When the
Indian Constitution was formulated, it
granted equal rights to women, considering
them legal citizens of the country and as an
equal to men in terms of freedom and
opportunity. The status of women in India
has been subject to many great changes
over the past few millennia. From a largely
unknown status in ancient times through
the low points of the medieval period, to
the promotion of equal rights by many
reforms, the history of women in India has
been eventful. Gender violence is a
common problem prevailing in almost all
the developing countries. Even in India the
issue continues unabated creating many
hassle and challenges for the social
growth. The age old cultural beliefs and
tradition have identified various issues of
gender – based violence that over the
period of time has become a major cause
of harassment faced by the women.
Domestic violence is the most common
form of violence against women and is
evident, to some degree, in every society
in the world. Domestic violence can be
described as when one adult in a
relationship misuses power to control
another. The Protection of Women from
Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (the bill
against domestic violence in India) says
that any act, conduct, omission, or
commission that harms or injures or has
the potential to harm or injure will be
considered domestic violence by the law.
Factors Influencing Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a global issue
reaching across national boundaries as
well as socioeconomic, cultural, racial, and
class distinctions. A recent United Nation
Population Fund report revealed that
around two thirds of married women in
India were victims of domestic violence.
Violence against women is a violation of
basic human rights. It is shameful for the
states that fail to prevent it and societies
that tolerate it. It is one of the crucial
social mechanisms by which women are
forced into a subordinate position when
compared with men. It must be eliminated
through political will and by legal and civil
action in all sectors of society. This is the
case with the United Nations (UN)
definition of ―violence against women‖. In
its Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence Against Women General
Assembly Resolution 48/104 (1993), the
UN recognizes violence against women as:
...any act of gender-based violence that
results in, or is likely to result in, physical,
sexual or psychological harm or suffering
