Domestic violence more in educated families!

In the past 2 years, a total of 5662 cases have been filed with the State Women’s Commission. In Bengaluru City over 1,114 complaints were filed last year. Domestic discrimination and harassment is more prevailing in educated families. But there are several cases of women misusing the Domestic Violence Act too.  

Nisha (name changed) belongs to a rich family from North Karnataka. She married a rich man from Udupi.  She wanted an affluent life. Whatever she demanded had to be provided to her. She would neglect her child as a strategy to get her demands met. She came to know that her father in law was giving some property to her husband’s sister also. She did not like it. The house became a war field by her daily fights. But her husband did not give in, he said his sister should get her due. Nisha lodged a complaint alleging domestic violence against her husband and father in law.

This is but one case of misuse of law. There are several cases of women misusing the Domestic Violence Act.  Strangely cases of domestic violence registered are more in educated families than poor and uneducated. The cases of divorce are also on the rise. In the last 2 years, the State Women’s Commission has recorded over 5000 complaints of domestic violence, reported Kannada Prabha. In Bengaluru City itself over 1,114 complaints are filed.

Influences of Social network, modern life style, economic independence have resulted in increasing number of divorces among the software employees between the age group of 20 to 30. Their rural counterparts are not filing complaints in this number. Between 2015 April and 2016 April a total of 2,594 cases were registered at the Women’s Commission, of them 1,686 cases are resolved.  Between 2016 April and 2017 March 3,068 cases are registered, of them 2,095 cases are resolved, informed the Commission.  In the past 2 years total 5,662 cases have been filed and 1,881 cases are pending to be resolved.

The case wise division is domestic violence 2,392, dowry harassment 237, seeking protection 1,305, harassment at workplace 256, senior citizen’s property dispute 302, police atrocity 141, and other miscellaneous cases totalling 1,995. Complaints of sexual harassment, rape, love fraud, adultery, alimony, financial fraud, divorce, caste abuse, and assault have been submitted to the Women’s Commission. The number of cases registered is growing and mostly in Bengaluru City.

Nagalakshmi Bai, Chairperson of State Women’s Commission, the atrocities are different based on regions. Different kinds of domestic violence are registered in different districts. Domestic discrimination and harassment is more prevailing in educated families. Divorce has become common in software employees. Rushing to marry following Facebook and WhatsApp romance are failing within days.

May be the educated and urban are coming out with the domestic violence and atrocities more openly than their rural counterparts.