Citation

Geethadevi M, Raghunandan R, Shobha. Manushi 2000; (117): 31-41.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Samta)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12296245

Abstract

In 1986, major amendments were introduced to the Indian penal law, in which two new sections were added to the penal code. These sections made violence leading to murder of women within 7 years of marriage, as well as harassment by a husband or his relatives leading to suicide, punishable. At the same time, the Indian Evidence Act was also amended, shifting the burden of proof for such deaths on the accused, which meant that, contrary to normal practice, the husband and his family would be presumed guilty unless proven innocent. Despite such amendments, the Vimochana, a leading voluntary organization working on cases of domestic violence in Bangalore, indicates that the number of cases registered by the police and eventually punished by the courts has not increased. It seems to have only discredited the legal process as an ineffective method of protecting weak citizens within the democratic framework. According to the Vimochana, this may be because every stage of the recording and investigation of an incident of domestic violence, even when it leads to death is poorly handled. This paper presents the experiences of the Vimochana, which show how the law, courts, and police fail victims of domestic violence in the region. Moreover, it provides recommended strategies on addressing this issue.

Language: en