Domestic violence - a thing of the past

Varsha

Vimala (name changed for protection), a servant maid, comes home after a weary day of household chores. She cooks a meager meal and waits endlessly for her husband who walks in nonchalantly at midnight. He doesn’t bother to wipe his grubby feet outside and dirties the floor that she had so painstakingly scrubbed a few minutes ago, doesn’t ask her whether she has had her food, he doesn’t even look at her let alone talk. Vimala makes the first move. She asks him whether he has had his dinner. There begins a volley of abuse verbally, physically and morally.

This was the state of affairs everyday at Vimala’s house, but not anymore. She filed a case with a local woman help group and they threatened to put him in jail. “I was used to such abuse”, she says dismissively. “Then I realized that I had to put a full stop to it someday. I wanted to see some punishment given to him, after all that I have undergone”, she says. “But it is okay as he has changed and he doesn’t dare to even touch me without my permission”, she adds.

Thus speaks the brave lady of the modern era. She knows not fear and is courageous enough to stand for her rights. “I think it is the drastic change of roles that have affected the woman empowerment”, says Uma, a banker. “Women are employed now and a family runs only with both the partners working”, says Uma, a banker.

Domestic violence, which has been a long-standing cause for concern, has slowly started to decrease. Women are now ready to ask for help and voice out their problems. Earlier the term domestic violence held no little or no meaning at all as many did not even know what was classified as domestic violence. In the wake of the latest Domestic violence act many have started coming out of their shells.

According to the Act, conduct that is likely to drive a woman to suicide, cause grave injury to health or life of a woman or even verbal harassment is considered violence. The most recent Act gives the woman complete control of the house and if she demands any amount of money from him, for any reason whatsoever, he is legally bound to pay that amount in full, failing which he can be imprisoned. This means the woman finally has full control over the legal proceedings.This could also mean the law could be misused, but that is a completely different debate.

Ajitha was verbally abused by her husband until she decided to walk out of the marraige. She filed a legal divorce and leads a happy life in her own rented apartmnet. “I walked out because i felt i could no longer take it. My kid’s future seemed more important. Now i am happy that i took such a wise decision”, she says.

Physical abuse is another from of violence that is most commonly faced. This does not only mean bashing and beating up, but also sexual abuse including sex without consent. Though there are no laws on marital rape, excessive and unreasonable demands for sex have been considered forms of cruelty and may entitle a woman to a divorce.

“Women of today are more confident of their needs. They are in constant touch with the external world and are well informed too. They have evolved and have become very powerful in all fields, says Thiruvengadam, a radio programmer. He also says woman oriented programmes are more in number these days and such programmes are in great demand.

The above examples have clearly shown that women have far risen above their ‘weaker sex’ image. Verbal, physical and moral abuse is punishable and can permit a woman to a separation from marital life. This coupled with vast development in the state of women economically, financially and morally has helped the empowerment of women to a great extent.