Imagine being trapped in a remote slum with an arranged marriage and an abusive spouse. Now imagine that same situation with no income and being forced to stay home 24 hours a day. The National Commission for Women (NCW) of India on Friday said it had registered 587 domestic violence complaints between March 23 and April 16 - a large figure from 396 complaints received in the last 25 days between February 27 and March 22. This just goes to show how much the toll of COVID-19 affects the world.
Even without a pandemic, domestic violence in India is a big problem. One-third of women in India according to (2016 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India) said they have experienced domestic violence, but less than one percent of them seek help from the police. This problem only increases now.
One out of six domestic violence complaints was made through a recaptured WhatsApp number, which was outdated for some time; meaning that many women were left without a response to their plea for help.
The NCW relies on women to report domestic violence themselves, but many women in India still do not have the means to contact the NCW. Only about a third of Indian women have internet access, while 830 million women dont have a mobile phone at all.
This pandemic only makes it worse for those who cant file a complaint because their neighbors and friends cant come outside to help them. Many people also think that they shouldn't be a hassle to the NCW by calling and decide its better not to alert them. This mindset is not helping the problem at all.
Some reasons lie in society itself. According to an NFHS survey, 42 percent of men and 52 percent of women believe a husband has a reason to beat his wife. We need to defeat these perceptions before we can get rid of abuse.
Complaints of domestic violence are on the rise around the world as people begin to settle down in isolation. The number of reported cases may not be as high as in countries such as India, the United States, and China, but this again is not a result of less abuse, but less reports
According to the 2018 Crime in India Report published by the NCRB, girls become victims of domestic violence every 4.4 minutes, rape every 16 minutes, and crime against women is recorded every 1.7 minutes across India. It is likely to be the most violent country in the world; more than the likes of Syria and Afghanistan.
However, just because were all stuck at home doesnt mean we cant help. Anyone can donate to the NCW or other organizations. There is always something we can do to help one another. In this crisis, we must all come together as a unified society and find ways to cope with the situation. There is always a way through.
Visit ncw.nic.in for active helplines.
Image Courtesy of The News Minute